Read this article at: https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/why-is-bird-flu-making-cows-sick/  or watch at: https://youtu.be/Hf7bk_O6LIA

Summary: Scientists tracked how the bird flu virus spread from birds to dairy cows and other animals.

Abstract: Did you know bird flu can affect animals other than birds? Bird flu usually affects wild birds like geese and farm birds like chickens. But sometimes it can “jump” to other animals. This includes cats, cows, and even humans. We wanted to understand this process better.

When cows started getting sick from bird flu and stopped producing milk, we examined how this happened. We looked at the amount of virus and where it was present in the cows. We sampled their milk and several other tissues. We found that the virus mainly infected the mammary glands, which produce milk. We studied the genetic changes in the virus’ genetic code. This helped us better understand how it spreads. We discovered that the bird flu virus moved between cows and from cows to other animals in the farms easily. We also learned that the virus moved between farms. It is important to track outbreaks and reduce activities that could spread the bird flu virus. This can help us prevent more animals and humans from getting sick.

You are one of half a million educators in the U.S. who use our articles and videos in class. All our content is FREE, no paywalls, no need to subscribe. 

But recent federal cuts have made it hard for us to win grants to fund our mission. We are a small non-profit, and without support, we may not make it.

If you enjoy our content, please consider donating - https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/support-us.html

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sciencejournalforkids.substack.com