Here, I had already predicted that the newly discovered Influenza D Virus might be a harbinger for trouble. First discovered in pigs in the US in 2013, it was strangely also present in cows in France and China. Sheep and goats were also shown to be susceptible to this Influenza D Virus. One could speculate that the virus might have gone undetected for quite some time before it was discovered.
That, however, was the good news.
Scientists from Florida (USA) wanted to know if individuals working with cattle could become infected with Influenza D Virus. They investigated serum samples from 35 cattle-exposed and 11 non-cattle-exposed adults. A seroprevalence of 91% was detected via HI assay and 97% by MN assay. Among non-cattle-exposed individuals, seropositivity determined via MN assay (only) was lower (18%)
[1].
Whereas it is still unknown whether Influenza D Virus causes disease in humans, the study indicates that the virus may be an emerging pathogen among cattle-workers.
[1] White et al: Serologic evidence of exposure to influenza D virus among persons with occupational contact with cattle in Journal of Clinical Virology - 2016
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