A blistering hot summer coupled with a never before seen virus in dairy cattle, has caused more cow deaths than anticipated in California, according to statewide dairy expert.

The human avian flu has yet to pass from human to human, but state gene detectives are on the lookout for mutations.

All of the state's cases have been linked to contact with infected dairy cows, officials said. No human-to-human transmission has been documented.

Of the 27 known bird flu cases in humans, about half have been seen in California dairy workers. Most are fighting mild symptoms such as conjunctivitis and fever. None were hospitalized. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say the current public health risk of the disease to humans is low.