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Wildlife Featured in this article
- striped skunk
- fox
- raccoon
- bobcat
- opossum
- mountain lion
- black bear
Avian flu found in Texas skunk
It’s the first mammal in the state known to have contracted the virus
Texas has reported the first case of avian flu in a mammal in the state. The National Veterinary Services Laboratories confirmed this week the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza in a striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) recovered from Carson County, in northern Texas. The virus has been detected in a number of mammals across North America, including foxes, raccoons (Procyon lotor), bobcats (Lynx rufus), opossums (Didelphis virginiana), mountain lions (Puma concolor) and black bears (Ursus americanus). Health officials say the transmission risk from infected birds to people remains low.
Header Image: A striped skunk, like the one pictured here, contracted the avian flu in Texas, the first known case in a mammal in the state. Credit: Wyscan
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