- Hello Jeff - I think we are on the brink of a very different
outbreak. The virus is widening its host range, and is transmitting a tamiflu
resistant strain H2H in the US.
-
- Patty
-
- Date: 1 Nov 2009 Source: About.com: veterinary medicine
[edited]
-
- A news station in Hastings, Nebraska (KHAS) has reported
that "Stormy," a ferret and one of 4 ferrets belonging to a family
of humans sick with the flu, has died from the H1N1 virus.
-
- According to the news report, testing was done by the
University of Nebraska Veterinary Diagnostic Lab, where the ferret tested
positive for H1N1. The state public health veterinarian said the event
is not unexpected but that it is rare. Only 2 ferrets in the nation have
died from H1N1, including Stormy.
-
- A 2nd sample has been sent to a national laboratory for
confirmation of H1N1 infection [Likely that national laboratory is the
National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa.].
-
- Ferrets have respiratory systems similar to humans and
are known to be susceptible to human flu viruses. Infectious disease specialists
do not think dogs and cats are at risk for H1N1 infection, and there have
been no reports of dogs or cats with H1N1 infection at this writing. Pet
birds may be at risk, since the H1N1 jumped to turkeys last summer [2009].
Caution is also advised for pet pigs.
-
- Proper hygiene and sanitation (washing hands, bowls,
tools and clothing) and isolating sick individuals are the best defenses
against flu viruses.
-
- It should be noted that dogs and cats have their own
flu viruses, notably the H3N8 flu virus in dogs currently in the news.
-
- http://vetmedicine.about.com/b/2009/11/01/h1n1-swine-flu-ferret-dies-in-nebraska.htm
-
- Communicated by ProMED-mail Rapporteur Mary Marshall
-
- Ferrets have many of the same clinical signs as humans
with flu: fever, lethargy, weakness, coughing and sneezing. Ferret owners
need to be particularly careful with coughing or sneezing in the direction
of the pet, as it may pass the flu to it.
-
- Readers are encouraged to view the moderator's remarks
in ProMED-mail post 20091021.3618. - Mod.TG
-
- Photo of pet ferret: http://www.seavs.com/DANYAFERRET.jpg
- Mod.JW Patricia A. Doyle DVM, PhD Bus Admin, Tropical Agricultural Economics
Univ of West Indies Please visit my "Emerging Diseases" message
board at: http://www.emergingdisease.org/phpbb/index.php Also
my new website: http://drpdoyle.tripod.com/ Zhan le Devlesa tai
sastimasa Go with God and in Good Health
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