Stevens County goat tests positive for avian influenza; first non-avian species found

A young goat in Stevens County has tested positive for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). This is the first time the virus has been detected in any domestic ruminant species (such as cattle, sheep, goats, and their relatives) in the United States.

This discovery is significant because it highlights the possibility of the virus infecting other animals on farms with multiple species, even during the migration period in spring, which is known to be a higher-risk transmission period for poultry.

The goat was residing on a farm where a positive HPAI poultry flock was previously found. The poultry on the property had already been quarantined since February when HPAI was detected. Following the confirmation of HPAI in the goat, the Board has quarantined all other species on the premises.

(Learfield News Service)