H5N1 Discovered at Texas Egg Facility
Posted on April 2, 2024
Cal-Main Foods reported that one of its facilities located in Parmer County, Texas, tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) or H5N1. As a result the company has culled approximately 1.6 million egg laying hens and 337,000 pullets.
Cal-Maine says in a statement, "There is no known risk related to HPAI associated with eggs that are currently in the market and no eggs have been recalled."
The USDA says the virus cannot be passed onto consumers through properly cooked eggs.
Successful Farming reports that about 82 million U.S. chickens, turkeys and other birds have been culled because of the virus since 2022.
The CDC reported yesterday that a person with exposure to dairy cattle in Texas contracted H5N1. The person is recovering and had just one symptom - eye redness (consistent with conjunctivitis). The was the second U.S. case. The first U.S. case was in 2022 in Colorado.
The CDC H5N1 Bird Flu page says H5N1 is currently widespread in wild birds and there are sporadic outbreaks in poultry flocks and mammals. They say the current public health risk is low. There is just the one known human case so far this year.