The ongoing H5N1 (bird flu) outbreak has affected 70 million birds, causing an estimated $2.5 billion to $3 billion in losses to poultry producers. The discovery of H5N1 in cattle raises concerns about greater economic losses and the possibility of further mutations in the virus. To speed up detection practices, the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research is providing Barnwell Bio, Inc. a $74,133 Rapid Outcomes from Agricultural Research (ROAR) grant to develop a waste stream animal health monitoring system to identify the virus in asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic cases. Barnwell Bio is providing matching funds for a total investment of $148,919.
Current H5N1 detection practices rely on animals displaying symptoms and targeted testing of animals suspected of illness. H5N1 can spread quickly and waiting for observable symptoms, individual examinations and testing leads to significant time lags in fighting its spread. This gap in biosecurity measures allowed H5N1 to spread through cattle unidentified for nearly two months. The rapid spread of H5N1 in cattle across several states demonstrates the need for pre-symptomatic surveillance practices.
Researchers led by Dr. Jake Byrnes, Chief Scientific Officer at Barnwell Bio, are developing a real-time waste stream monitoring system for infectious diseases like H5N1. Continuous surveillance will help detect and identify specific strains of H5N1, providing a more accurate and timely method of monitoring the virus. This proactive disease management will help improve animal welfare and reduce the economic impact of outbreaks.