As many unanswered questions remain about the recent outbreaks of High-Path Avian Flu (HPAI) H5N1 in dairy cattle, researchers are looking at many possible options on how the virus is being transmitted — including wastewater testing.
According to the pre-published results of a wastewater study conducted in Texas by researchers at Baylor University, wastewater from 10 cities across the state was tested. Of those samples, nine tested positive for HPAI.
The specific city names were not included in the study (researchers said these cities’ identities are masked at the request of local public health officials and water utilities), but the geographic spread encompasses areas across the state. In those places, 23 total samples were collected and 19 tested positive. A least one positive sample was collected from nine of the 10 cities where samples were collected.
Here is the researcher’s conclusion:
In conclusion, we report the widespread detection of Influenza A H5N1 virus in wastewater from nine U.S. cities during the spring of 2024. Although the exact cause of the signal is currently unknown, lack of clinical burden along with genomic information suggests avian or bovine origin. Given the now widespread presence of the virus in dairy cows, the concerning findings that unpasteurized milk may contain live virus, and that these two recent factors will increase the number of viral interactions with our species, wastewater monitoring should be readily considered as a sentinel surveillance tool that augments and accelerates our detection of evolutionary adaptations of significant concern.
Virome Sequencing Identifies H5N1 Avian Influenza in Wastewater from Nine Cities
Michael J. Tisza, et. al.
Read the full pre-published study:
NOTE: This article is a preprint and has not been certified by peer review [what does this mean?]. It reports new medical research that has yet to be evaluated and so should not be used to guide clinical practice.
RFD NEWS Correspondent Frank McCaffrey was in Mission, Texas, where state and federal officials addressed growers and producers at a round table event hosted at a citrus grower’s facility. He shows us how welcome news was all around.
February 10, 2026 12:05 PM
·
A transition from traditional, technology-specific subsidies toward a performance-based, technology-neutral framework
February 10, 2026 08:00 AM
·
Lower freight costs helped sustain export demand amid a challenging pricing environment.
February 10, 2026 06:00 AM
·
Producers across the country spent the week balancing spring planning with tight margins and uneven moisture outlooks. Input purchasing stayed cautious, while marketing and cash-flow decisions remained front and center for many operations.
February 09, 2026 03:17 PM
·
Income support helps, but farm finances remain tight heading into 2026.
February 09, 2026 03:04 PM
·
NCBA Chief Counsel Mary-Thomas Hart breaks down CAFO permits, EPA enforcement, and what cattle producers need to know as rules continue to evolve.
February 09, 2026 12:21 PM
·
