First bird flu case in alpacas confirmed on Idaho farm alongside poultry

BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Veterinary Services Laboratories, bird flu was confirmed in alpacas for the first time.

The animals tested positive on an Idaho farm where poultry also tested positive for the virus. The USDA noted finding other infected animals on the same farm as infected birds was not necessarily a surprise.

The gene sequence of viruses isolated from the alpacas is closely related to the H5N1 viruses circulating in dairy cattle.

Scientists have watched the H5N1 virus for roughly two decades. While it has primarily affected birds, the virus has been infecting a wider variety of wild and farmed mammals in recent years.

Human cases have been reported sporadically around the globe over the years, including three in the United States. Still, no person-to-person transmission has been reported in the current United States outbreak.

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