title: Subclinical infection with avian influenza A (H5N1) virus in cats.
abstract: Avian influenza A virus subtype H5N1 was transmitted to domestic cats by close contact with infected birds. Virus-specific nucleic acids were detected in pharyngeal swabs from 3 of 40 randomly sampled cats from a group of 194 animals (day 8 after contact with an infected swan). All cats were transferred to a quarantine station and monitored for clinical signs, virus shedding, and antibody production until day 50. Despite unfamiliar handling, social distress, and the presence of other viral and nonviral pathogens that caused illness and poor health and compromised the immune systems, clinical signs of influenza did not develop in any of the cats. There was no evidence of horizontal transmission to other cats because antibodies against H5N1 virus developed in only 2 cats.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Clinical Department of Small Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria. michael.leschnik@vu-wien.ac.at
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leschnik
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Weikel
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Möstl
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Revilla-Fernández
authors.forename: Eveline
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wodak
authors.forename: Zoltan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bagó
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vanek
authors.forename: Viviane
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Benetka
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hess
authors.forename: Johann G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Thalhammer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D002415:Cats; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral