Naturally occurring influenza infection in a ferret (Mustela putorius furo) colony.
Tissue samples from 2 juvenile ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) from a colony that was undergoing an outbreak of respiratory disease were submitted to the Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. Microscopic examination of lung samples revealed bronchointerstitial pneumonia with necrotizing bronchiolitis. Influenza A virus was detected in sections of formalin-fixed lung by immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay. A field investigation of the premises and analysis of additional samples led to the confirmation and characterization of an influenza virus with high homology to contemporary reassortant H1N1 swine influenza viruses. Although ferrets have been used extensively to research the virulence and transmissibility of avian, human, and swine influenza virus strains, no published information exists on naturally occurring outbreaks of swine influenza in ferrets.
Patterson
Abby R
AR
Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, 1653 Veterinary Medicine Building, 1600 South 16th Street, Ames, IA 50010, USA. aguard@iastate.edu
Cooper
Vickie L
VL
Yoon
Kyoung-Jin
KJ
Janke
Bruce H
BH
Gauger
Phillip C
PC
D000818:Animals; D005289:Ferrets; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D010802:Phylogeny