THE AVIAN
INFLUENZA
OUTBREAK

Staying ahead of H5N1

Emerging Threats to Animal, Food and Human Safety

The H5N1 avian influenza virus has spread among dairy cows in the U.S. posing potentially significant threats and risks to animal health, farm operations, and market demand. 

It will be very difficult for the U.S. to eradicate the virus completely, or to isolate farms, cows or humans from its effects. As such, we need to focus on providing farmers with Medical Countermeasures (MCMs) including vaccines and therapeutics. These MCMs are a priority to keep cows healthy, operations intact, and maintain overall economic stability.

The Path to Vaccines and Therapeutics

At the moment, there are no known MCMs that will help preserve the health of cows against the impact of H5N1. While efforts are underway, they require precise information (bioinformatics) about the virus. Genomic analysis allows us to develop vaccines and therapeutics that are targeted and efficient, to prevent outbreaks and negative outcomes.

The virus evolves over time, however, meaning no single genomic “snapshot” will be useful on its own. Instead, we are setting out to provide persistent surveillance of the genomic sequence of H5N1 using widespread analysis. Importantly, these methods must not disrupt farm operations, or compromise the privacy of farms or of people.

Genomic Surveillance Using Anonymized Milk Samples

Ginkgo Biosecurity proposes a persistent genomic analysis program for dairy farms, called GAP (Genomic Analysis Program).

The GAP initiative leverages the existing practice of pooling and sampling milk for food safety, and adds the capability to generate genomic analysis of the H5N1 virus. This provides critical data for the science needed to respond to the virus, without adding any extra burden to farmers or the systems they depend upon. 

The process is non-invasive and requires no additional time or logistics from the farm. Importantly, the program does not record or transmit the source of the milk. In the GAP program, the only information captured is the genomic data of the H5N1 virus (when it is detected.)

How it Works

Milk Collection and Shipment

Milk is collected from bulk tanks at the farm or from hauling trucks at dairy processing plants and de-identified samples are sent to the laboratory.

Testing and Sequencing

Real-time PCR methods detect the presence of H5N1, followed by genomic sequencing for positive samples.

Data Sharing

Results (bioinformatic and epidemiological analyses) are used to inform disease management, prevention strategies, and the development of medical countermeasures. The source and identity of the sample is not associated with this data.

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