Poultry meat can be a source of the bird flu virus, from which many cats in Poland have been suffering and die recently.
- Our results talk about the presence of the virus in one of the five meat samples provided that sick cats received. At the moment, we are not able to tell where it came from in meat and whether it was the source of infection of cats, or if it got there from sick animals. However, given the risks associated with the transmission of the virus not only to animals, but also to humans, it is certainly a trail that requires a thorough check. This is already a task for veterinary services and sanitary supervision - said virologist prof. Krzysztof Pyrć, whose team was involved in the study of meat.
As the expert explained, "H5N1 virus is poorly transmitted between mammals, so the risk of contracting directly from cats is practically impossible". "For infection to occur, a person would have to eat raw or undercooked meat. But it can also switch to a man who touches meat with a bare hand. - The disease in humans can have an extremely severe course, and in the last 20 years, out of more than 800 infected people, more than half have died" - explained the scientist in an interview with the "Voter".
The results of research by scientists from Krakow have been confirmed by a certified laboratory in Gdańsk. Sanepid and Veterinary Inspection were notified of the results. It is these institutions that can take care of determining how infected meat went to stores.
"The sample, which showed the presence of the H5N1 virus, belongs to Magda (data for the editor's attention). She lives in Chełmek (Małopolskie), and bought chicken breast meat, which she gave to the cat, on June 9 in one of the stores of a large chain. She has retained receipts - she bought two packages. A virus was detected in samples from each of them. Lynx - Magda's kitten - was one of the first cats to die. On June 15, she got a raw breast for dinner. On June 17, the first symptoms occurred: the kitten was sleepy and had no appetite. The next day, the owner went to the vet, who suspected a cold" - we read.
The cat already the day after visiting the vet "begun to lose balance, fell off the chair, paralysis of her hind legs, stopped walking completely, eating". Doctors admitted that they do not know what is happening to the animal. "Then epileptic attacks began one by one. Antibiotic, steroid did not help. Finally there was nystagmus, loss of consciousness. At the end of her life, she was no longer able to swallow water. Lynx died from 22 to 23 June" - says the owner of the kitten in an interview with "GW".
The daily reminds that Poland is a leader in poultry production in the EU. Meat from Poland accounts for nearly 20 percent of the EU market, and "the value of meat export is over 3 billion euros". - We can pretend that nothing happens, but imagine the consequences of detecting a virus in such meat if some research institute outside Poland would do it. Not only for health, but also for an important sector of the economy it would be devastating - said prof. Pyrć in an interview with "Gazeta Wyborcza".