What to Know About Avian Influenza in N.C. Dairy Cattle

North Carolina State University’s Matt Koci stays up to date on infectious diseases as a virologist and immunologist in the Prestage Department of Poultry Science.

Over the past week, Koci and his students have had the chance to hear from state regulatory experts who are in the midst of responding to the first-ever detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza in North Carolina dairy cattle. He had booked them as guest speakers weeks before.

The National Veterinary Services Laboratory confirmed on April 9 that highly pathogenic avian influenza had been detected in North Carolina dairy cattle. As of April 15, cases had also been documented in Texas, Kansas, Michigan, Idaho, New Mexico, Ohio and South Dakota.

Koci serves as co-director of the Animal Health and Nutrition Consortium, a partnership between industry and the Food Animal Initiative in NC State’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. His research, teaching and outreach work is on the interactions between pathogens and hosts and on the role that the gut immune system plays in telling friendly microorganisms from foes. He holds a master’s degree in infectious diseases and a Ph.D. in viral pathology, both from the University of Georgia.

We asked Koci to share his knowledge of viruses, particularly avian influenza.