Food safety is one of 11 core public health lab functions. Primary.Health boosts lab efficiency to protect the U.S. food supply from H5N1 and other pathogens.
When we think of public health threats, our minds often jump to pandemics and human-to-human transmission. But threats like H5N1 avian influenza (bird flu) remind us that the impacts on agriculture can be just as profound.
In recent weeks, the California Department of Health (CDPH) confirmed a third human case of bird flu and is looking into two new possible human cases. That brings to 16 the number of confirmed human cases of bird flu in 2024, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
What H5N1 means for our food supply
While H5N1 hasn’t had a significant impact on human health so far, it poses a serious risk to our food supply chains. A major outbreak in livestock or poultry industries could lead to severe disruptions, affecting everything from food security to economic stability. This ripple effect highlights the interconnectedness of our public health and agricultural systems.
In the case of H5N1, for example, as part of their food safety responsibilities, public health laboratories in all 50 states are equipped for detecting H5N1 viruses. Additionally, 26 APHL member laboratories test milk under the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance.
At Primary.Health, our work in lab interoperability extends beyond traditional public health responses. We’re building the infrastructure to enable real-time data sharing that can also help detect and mitigate zoonotic threats (infectious disease that can jump from a non-human animal to humans) before they cascade into larger economic and human crises. By improving the flow of data between health systems, public health labs, and agricultural sectors, we can better protect both human and animal health and our food supply chain.
H5N1 lab and testing support
At the same time, In collaboration with state and public health organizations, Primary.Health has developed a workflow that streamlines the H5N1 testing process, ensuring rapid detection and response to potential H5N1 cases in dairy and poultry farm workers.
The time to prepare is now—public health isn’t just about human illness; it’s about ensuring the resilience of the systems that sustain us all. Let’s talk about the multiple ways Primary.Health can support you in protecting people from H5N1 – from enhancing public health lab efficiency to testing vulnerable dairy and poultry farm workers.
