A domestic cat belonging to a family from Deux-Sèvres was euthanized after being infected with avian flu, we learned on Tuesday from the Ministry of Agriculture, confirming information from Ouest-France.
The animal, euthanized at the end of December because of the deterioration of its state of health, lived in a dwelling located near a duck farm also affected and completely slaughtered. The ministry specifies that “the detection of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAI) in mammals is a rare phenomenon” but “already observed”. Marine mammals (grey seal, European otter) as terrestrial (red fox, lynx or badger) had already been affected. “The sensitivity of cats, and more generally of felines, to HPAI viruses has been known since 2004”, it is further added.
According to the National Health Security Agency (Anses), this is the first time that a case of “contamination of a cat by highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 is observed in France. “Contamination of pets like cats could facilitate the passage of the virus to humans,” warned the agency, which calls for “keeping” these animals “away from infected farms and operations.euthanasia of contaminated duck households. ” The Avian Flu is progressing in France at the heart of poultry farms, with 286 outbreaks recorded by the authorities since August 1, which marks the start of the 2022-2023 epizootic.
4.6 million poultry have also been slaughtered since the same date, mainly between December and January. On Tuesday, the Ministry of Agriculture reminded AFP that the transmission to humans “of HPAI viruses currently in Europe”, remained “low” for the general population according to the European evaluation agency (Efsa). Between the end of 2021 and the spring of 2022, more than 20 million poultry had been slaughtered in France, a record. The government has also called for an initial campaign of bird flu vaccination in the fall of 2023 to relaunch the sector.
