Category: prevention and fitness

Bird Flu Testing in Dairy: USDA’s New Strategy to Prevent Infection

Birds, just like people, can get the flu. Another name for bird flu is avian influenza. The viruses that cause bird flu normally only infect birds, including chickens, other poultry, and wild birds such as ducks.

Bird flu can also infect many other animals, including dogs, cats, certain wild and zoo animals, and livestock such as cattle. Although this is rare, these animals can then spread the flu to people.

Here is a previously published report on how the USDA works to keep our milk supply safe.

white chicken
One of the chickens my daughter-in-law raised. We appreciated the eggs she shared with us.

USDA launches national testing of milk from dairy farms to track bird flu outbreak

by Jennifer Shutt, Oklahoma Voice
December 9, 2024

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Friday it will require dairy farms to share samples of unpasteurized milk when requested, to gather more information about the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza.

Public health officials have tracked the spread of bird flu or H5N1 in domestic poultry flocks for years before the virus began showing up in the country’s dairy herds this March, raising concerns.

While the risk to the general public remains low and there is no evidence to suggest bird flu can spread from person to person, nearly 60 people, mostly farmworkers, have contracted the virus this year.

The new milk testing requirements from USDA will apply nationally but will begin in California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon, and Pennsylvania, the week of Dec. 16. 

“Among many outcomes, this will give farmers and farmworkers better confidence in the safety of their animals and ability to protect themselves, and it will put us on a path to quickly controlling and stopping the virus’ spread nationwide,”

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a written statement.

Unpasteurized milk

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has repeatedly tested pasteurized milk on store shelves throughout the country to reaffirm it’s safe to drink. Other dairy products, like cheese and ice cream, have also been found safe.

But the FDA continues to urge people against consuming unpasteurized milk, since it doesn’t go through the heating process that kills off viruses and bacteria.

Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a written statement the new milk “testing strategy is a critical part of our ongoing efforts to protect the health and safety of individuals and communities nationwide.”

“We continue to work closely with USDA and all stakeholders on continued testing for H5N1 in retail milk and dairy samples from across the country to ensure the safety of the commercial pasteurized milk supply,” Becerra said. “We will continue this work with USDA for as long and as far as necessary.”

“Our primary responsibility at HHS is to protect public health and the safety of the food supply,

Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra
Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

The USDA began a voluntary bulk tank testing program for milk this summer in an attempt to make it easier for farmers to move their cattle across state lines without having to test each cow. The department also began a year-long study in August to test for bird flu in dairy cattle moved into meat production, seeking to confirm prior studies that found it safe to eat.

The bird flu outbreak has affected 720 dairy herds throughout 15 states so far this year, though California became the epicenter during the last month, according to data from the USDA.

The Golden State holds nearly all of the 273 herds diagnosed, with just four found in Utah during the last 30 days.

California also holds the bulk of bird flu infections in people, with 32 of the 58 diagnosed cases this year, according to information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Colorado accounts for another 10 human cases and Washington state confirmed 11 people infected with H5N1. Michigan has had two cases this year, while Missouri, Oregon and Texas have each had one positive human case.

USDA order

The USDA federal order announced Friday will require anyone responsible for a dairy farm — such as a bulk milk transporter, bulk milk transfer station, or dairy processing facility — to share unpasteurized or raw milk samples when requested.

Any farm owners whose dairy herds test positive for H5N1 will be required to share epidemiological information that would allow public health officials to perform contact tracing and other types of disease surveillance. 

Additionally, private laboratories and state veterinarians must alert USDA to positive samples collected as part of this National Milk Testing Strategy.

Last updated 2:36 p.m., Dec. 6, 2024

My thanks to Oklahoma Voice for permission to republish this story.

Oklahoma Voice is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oklahoma Voice maintains editorial independence.

Contact Editor Janelle Stecklein for questions: info@oklahomavoice.com. Follow Oklahoma Voice on Facebook and X.

This story is republished under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

Exploring the HEART of Health

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Dr. Aletha

Observing Breast Cancer Awareness

In October, awareness of breast cancer is highlighted. This common cancer affects both women and men, with various types identified. Risk factors include age, genetics, and lifestyle. Early detection and preventive measures can significantly improve outcomes, emphasizing the need for education and support during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Health issues are usually not the major concerns when it comes to elections, but they are related to the major issues, like the cost of living, taxes, and crime.

Among the major campaign issues are health-related concerns, including women’s reproductive care, gun violence, opioid addiction and deaths, mental health crises, and the cost of healthcare.

So it is appropriate that in October awareness of two major health issues are observed. This post highlights one of them, breast cancer.

Photo by Anna Tarazevich on Pexels.com

This information is current as of the date of original publication or update. It may have changed by the time you read this. I invite you to fact-check what you read here.

Please do not use this information for diagnosis or treatment purposes. Before making health decisions, discuss with your physician or other qualified healthcare provider.

What is breast cancer?

Breast cancer happens when cells in the breast change and grow out of control. The cells usually form a tumor.

Sometimes the cancer does not spread any further. This is called “in situ.” Cancer that spreads outside the breast is called “invasive.” It may spread to nearby tissues and lymph nodes or metastasize through the lymph system or the blood, spreading to other sites in the body.

Breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer in women in the United States. It can also affect men.

What are the types of breast cancer?

There are different types of breast cancer. The types are based on which breast cells turn into cancer. The types include:

  • Ductal carcinoma, which begins in the cells of the ducts, is the most common type.
  • Lobular carcinoma, which begins in the lobules, is more often found in both breasts than other types of breast cancer.
  • Inflammatory breast cancer has cancer cells that block lymph vessels in the skin of the breast. In this rare type, the breast becomes warm, red, and swollen.
  • Paget’s disease of the breast, is a rare cancer involving the skin of the nipple and the darker skin around the nipple. It is also rare.

What causes breast cancer?

Breast cancer happens when there are changes in the genetic material (DNA). Often, the exact cause of these genetic changes is unknown.

In some women, these genetic changes are inherited. Breast cancer caused by inherited genetic changes is called hereditary breast cancer.

Some genetic changes raise your risk of breast cancer, including changes in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, and also increase your risk of ovarian and other cancers.

Besides genetics, your lifestyle and the environment can affect your risk of breast cancer.

Who is at risk for breast cancer?

  • Older age
  • History of breast cancer or benign (noncancer) breast disease
  • Inherited risk of breast cancer, including having BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene changes
  • Dense breast tissue
  • A reproductive history that leads to more exposure to the estrogen hormone, including
    • Menstruating at an early age
    • Being at an older age when you first gave birth or never having given birth
    • Starting menopause at a later age
  • Taking hormone therapy for symptoms of menopause
  • Radiation therapy to the breast or chest
  • Obesity
  • Drinking alcohol

What are the signs and symptoms of breast cancer?

  • A new lump or thickening in or near the breast or in the armpit.
  • A change in the size or shape of the breast.
  • A dimple or puckering in the skin of the breast. It may look like the skin of an orange.
  • A nipple turned inward into the breast.
  • Nipple discharge other than breast milk. The discharge might happen suddenly, be bloody, or happen in only one breast.
  • Scaly, red, or swollen skin in the nipple area or the breast
  • Pain in any area of the breast.
a mammogram image
a mammogram revealing a breast cancer image source- National Library of Medicine, Open-i

How is breast cancer diagnosed?

Your health care provider may use many tools to diagnose breast cancer and figure out which type you have:

  • A clinical breast exam, checking for lumps or anything else that seems unusual with the breasts and armpits.
  • Imaging tests, such as a mammogram, an ultrasound, or an MRI.
  • Breast biopsy.

If cancer is diagnosed, you need tests that study the cancer cells so your physician can decide which treatment is best for you.

  • Genetic tests for genetic changes such as in the BRCA and TP53 genes.
  • HER2 test. HER2 is a protein involved with cell growth, on the outside of all breast cells. If your breast cancer cells have more HER2 than normal, they can grow more quickly and spread to other parts of the body.
  • An estrogen and progesterone receptor test measuring the amount of estrogen and progesterone (hormones) receptors in cancer tissue. If there are more receptors than normal, the cancer is called estrogen and/or progesterone receptor positive, may grow more quickly.

Staging involves doing tests to find out whether the cancer has spread within the breast or to other parts of the body. The tests may include other diagnostic imaging tests and a sentinel lymph node biopsy to see if the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes.

What are the treatments for breast cancer?

  • A lumpectomy to remove just the cancerous lump
  • A mastectomy to remove the entire breast
  • Radiation therapy
  • Chemotherapy
  • Hormone therapy, which blocks cancer cells from getting the hormones they need to grow
  • Targeted therapy, which uses drugs or other substances that attack specific cancer cells with less harm to normal cells
  • Immunotherapy

Breast cancer death rates declined 42% from 1989
to 2021 among women. The progress is attributed
to improvements in early detection and treatments.

American Cancer Society

Can breast cancer be prevented?

You may be able to help prevent breast cancer by making healthy lifestyle changes that help lower your risk of breast cancer.

  • Staying at a healthy weight
  • Limiting alcohol use
  • Getting enough exercise
  • Limiting your exposure to estrogen
  • Breastfeeding
  • Preventive medications for women at high risk
  • Preventive mastectomy, also for high-risk
  • Mammograms-not to prevent cancer but may prevent death if cancer is caught in an early, easier to treat stage

Adapted from NIH: National Cancer Institute

CDC’s National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program offers free or low-cost mammograms to women who have low incomes and are uninsured or underinsured. Find out if you qualify.

Get involved with Breast Cancer Awareness Month and access resources for education and support for those with breast cancer. Visit the

National Breast Cancer Foundation

Bring Your Brave Campaign

CDC launched Bring Your Brave in 2015 to provide information about breast cancer to women younger than age 45. The campaign tells real stories about young women whose lives have been affected by breast cancer. These stories about prevention, risk, family history, and survivorship bring to life the idea that young women can be personally affected by breast cancer.

Through these testimonials, Bring Your Brave aims to inspire young women to learn their risk for breast cancer, talk with their health care provider about their risk, and live a healthy lifestyle.

For more information

Exploring the HEART of Health

I hope you have learned something about breast cancer that motivates you to guard your health. If you are a breast cancer survivor I invite you to share your story in the comments, your experiences can help someone else.

I’d love for you to follow this blog. I share information and inspiration to help you transform challenges into opportunities for learning and growth.

Add your name to the subscribe box to be notified of new posts by email. Click the link to read the post and browse other content. It’s that simple. No spam.

I enjoy seeing who is new to Watercress Words. When you subscribe, I will visit your blog or website. Thanks and see you next time.

I reviewed a book written by a cancer doctor and breast cancer survivor, Dr. Lori Leifer. Read it at this link.

After You Hear It’s Cancer-a book review

“After You Hear It’s Cancer” by Dr. Lori Leifer and John Leifer offers a comprehensive guide for navigating cancer diagnosis and treatment. Drawing on personal experiences, the authors provide practical advice on various stages of cancer care, including diagnosis, treatment, and post-treatment challenges, along with resources for support and advocacy.

Keep reading

Dr. Aletha