The National Milk Testing Strategy (NMTS) focuses on surveillance for which disease?

• A. Avian influenza epidemiology
• B. H5N1 surveillance
• C. General dairy health monitoring
• D. Environmental sampling of water

Answer: (B)

Milk-based sentinel surveillance uses regularly collected dairy samples to monitor for pathogens that can cross between animals and humans. The NMTS leverages this routine milk testing to keep an eye on avian influenza, specifically the H5N1 subtype, because outbreaks in poultry can affect nearby livestock and pose food-safety and zoonotic risks. By testing milk for viral signatures or antibodies, authorities can detect early signals of H5N1 circulation in dairy regions, enabling timely interventions and reinforcing biosecurity where needed. This approach is practical and cost-effective since it piggybacks on existing milk collection processes. The other options describe broader topics (general dairy health, environmental water sampling) or a less specific focus (avian influenza epidemiology) that doesn’t align with the targeted, disease-specific surveillance aim of NMTS.