Influenza viruses infect many species of animals, and are noted for their ability to cross species lines. A type of avian influenza virus known as H3N2 jumped to dogs, causing illness in 2007 in Korea. This report describes the isolation of this same canine influenza (H3N2) from an outbreak of respiratory disease in a Korean animal shelter. An outbreak of respiratory disease occurred in the dog and cat populations at a shelter in Korea with a significant mortality rate. An influenza virus was isolated from this outbreak, including from cats at the shelter. Genetic analysis of the virus isolate found it to be very similar to the H3N2 isolated from dogs in 2007. The investigators speculate that the virus originated from the dog population at the shelter and spread to the cats housed in the same building. This demonstrates once again the ability of influenza viruses to transmit across species lines, and indicate that cats may play a role in the epidemiology of influenza viruses. [MK]
See also:
- Jeoung HY, Shin BH, Lee WH, et al. Seroprevalence of subtype H3 influenza A virus in South Korean cats. J Feline Med Surg 2012;14:746-750.
- McCullers JA, Van De Velde LA, Schultz RD, et al. Seroprevalence of seasonal and pandemic influenza A viruses in domestic cats. Arch Virol 2011;156:117-120.
- Song DS, An DJ, Moon HJ, et al. Interspecies transmission of the canine influenza H3N2 virus to domestic cats in South Korea, 2010. J Gen Virol 2011;92:2350-2355 (free, full text).
Apr 2013: Cats and influenza from shorebirds
Sept 2011: Influenza A in cats
Sept 2008: Avian influenza in cats
More on cat health:
Winn Feline Foundation Library
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