Avian influenza detected for the first time in Europe
This discovery followed the confirmation of avian influenza in a cat on the same farm.
NETHERLANDS – Researchers have recently reported the first detection of avian influenza (H5N1) antibodies in a dairy cow, marking a significant development in monitoring the spread of the virus.
The cow, located on a farm in Friesland, showed evidence of past exposure but is not currently infected. According to a letter from the Dutch Minister of Agriculture to Parliament, a routine surveillance was done, milk samples from 20 dairy cows were tested and antibodies were detected in one cow, suggesting a previous infection.
The cow had an udder infection and breathing problems in December of last year, which are typical symptoms of a cow with avian influenza. Further samples taken on January 22 from other cows on the farm remained unremarkable and there is no evidence of active spread.
One of the most concerning aspects of H5N1 is its potential to mutate and increase its transmissibility to humans. However, authorities emphasized that the finding poses no risk to public health. Pasteurization of milk eliminates any potential viral threat, and the cow is not shedding the virus.
The current risk of avian influenza transmission to humans in the Netherlands remains low.
Wider H5N1 developments worldwide
While the Dutch case represents Europe’s first detection of avian influenza antibodies in cattle, other regions are grappling with their own challenges and milestones in the fight against H5N1.
In September 2025, Argentina regained its H5N1-free status after successfully eradicating an outbreak in Buenos Aires Province. The incident killed nearly 12,700 hens and forced the culling of more than 20,000 birds. Swift containment measures allowed the country to restore its disease-free standing, a crucial step for its poultry industry and exports.
Across Africa, outbreaks remain persistent. Since March 2025, multiple H5N1 outbreaks have been reported in Nigeria. A poultry farm in Ugbeyiyi saw the complete loss of a flock of 1,590 birds. Recurring outbreaks across northern states show the virus is entrenched, with significant economic impact on poultry farms
In South Africa, 70,000 cases and 205,000 poultry losses were reported by September 2025 with outbreaks forcing mass culling and trade restrictions. Experts warn that the region’s ongoing struggles highlight the need for stronger surveillance and international support.
The Swine Health Information Center (SHIC), in partnership with the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) and the Pork Checkoff, announced in February 2026 a second request for proposals to address the growing risk of H5N1 influenza in U.S. swine.
Following a US$4 million program launched in 2024 and the first round of funded projects in July 2025, this new call offers US$1.8 million for research into surveillance, biosecurity, pork safety, production impacts, and business continuity. Proposals are capped at US$250,000 and due by March 24, 2026, aiming to strengthen preparedness and protect pork producers.
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One Reply to “Avian influenza detected for the first time in Europe”
Your report on Europe’s first detection of H5N1 in dairy cattle reassures readers that this “poses no risk to public health.” We’ve heard this before. What the article omits: this cow was discovered because kittens on the same farm died after drinking its milk. In the United States, the same virus has now infected over 1,100 dairy herds since March 2024, spreading not through the air, but through shared milking equipment and cattle movements between farms. The USDA confirmed the virus is “shed in milk at high concentrations.” Farm cats across America have been dying the same way those Dutch kittens did. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control acknowledges that “every time H5N1 flu jumps into a mammal, it creates more opportunity for the virus to adapt.” Yet we’re told this is an isolated incident requiring no systemic response. Industrial dairy’s efficiency model (shared equipment, constant animal movement, stressed immune systems) created the conditions for this outbreak in America. The same practices exist across European dairy operations. Parents deserve to know: the authorities offering reassurance today are using the same playbook that failed us before COVID, and before the US dairy outbreak spiralled. We need transparency about biosecurity failures in intensive farming, not another round of “very small risk” until it isn’t.