title: Dogs are highly susceptible to H5N1 avian influenza virus.
abstract: Replication of avian influenza viruses (AIVs) in dogs may facilitate their adaptation in humans; however, the data to date on H5N1 influenza virus infection in dogs are conflicting. To elucidate the susceptibility of dogs to this pathogen, we infected two groups of 6 beagles with 10(6) 50% egg-infectious dose of H5N1 AIV A/bar-headed goose/Qinghai/3/05 (BHG/QH/3/05) intranasally (i.n.) and intratracheally (i.t.), respectively. The dogs showed disease symptoms, including anorexia, fever, conjunctivitis, labored breathing and cough, and one i.t. inoculated animal died on day 4 post-infection. Virus shedding was detected from all 6 animals inoculated i.n. and one inoculated i.t. Virus replication was detected in all animals that were euthanized on day 3 or day 5 post-infection and in the animal that died on day 4 post-infection. Our results demonstrate that dogs are highly susceptible to H5N1 AIV and may serve as an intermediate host to transfer this virus to humans.
authors.affiliation: Animal Influenza Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin 150001, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Gongxun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Guojun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Guohua
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Yanbing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jianzhong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Zhuo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yuntao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.forename: Yongping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Zhigao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bu
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawaoka
authors.forename: Hualan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D004285:Dogs; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity; D008168:Lung / Q000821:virology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000821:virology; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000821:virology; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D013997:Time Factors; D014774:Virulence; D014779:Virus Replication