Mastodawn

"Study Warns That Cats Might Be Bird Flu Carriers"

https://www.healthday.com/health-news/pets/study-warns-that-cats-might-be-bird-flu-carriers

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🙀 Cats may provide a pathway for bird flu to infect humans

🙀 Public health experts urge increased bird flu surveillance in felines

🙀 Bird flu has a high mortality rate in cats, posing significant health risks
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Bird flu, like COVID-19, is a multi-species disease. How many species? Let's not find out.

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The virus, which began circulating in dairy cattle earlier this year, has killed many cats, mainly on farms where herds were infected. It has also sickened at least 60 people, most of whom had direct contact with infected dairy cows or poultry.
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One of the "signals" of bird flu at a cow farm is dead cats... the canary in the casein mine.

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Cats frequently mingle with both wild animals and people, which could turn them into a bridge for the virus to evolve.
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Another reason for --indoor-- cats.

There's also a possibility, usually, in government biosecurity plans, that if there's an outbreak involving humans, companion animals like cats and dogs will be taken and killed.

#h5n1 #mooFlu #avianInfluenza #HPAI #birdFlu #cats #outbreak #zoonosis #zoonoses #pets

Study Warns That Cats Might Be Bird Flu Carriers

THURSDAY, Dec. 12, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Picture this: a beloved cat, playful and healthy one day, falls mysteriously ill the next. Soon after, the shocking

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VeganPizza69 ⓋⒶ Dec 12

The study:

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/22221751.2024.2440498

"Marked Neurotropism and Potential Adaptation of H5N1 Clade 2.3.4.4.b Virus in Naturally Infected Domestic Cats"

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In April 2024, ten cats died in a rural South Dakota (SD) residence, showing respiratory and neurological symptoms. Necropsy and laboratory testing of two cats confirmed H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b infection. The viral genome sequences are closely related to recent SD cattle H5N1 sequences. Cat H5N1 genomes had unique mutations, including T143A in haemagglutinin, known to affect infectivity and immune evasion, and two novel mutations in PA protein (F314L, L342Q) that may affect polymerase activity and virulence, suggesting potential virus adaptation. Dead cats showed systemic infection with lesions and viral antigens in multiple organs. Higher viral RNA and antigen in the brain indicated pronounced neurotropism. Lectin-histochemistry revealed widespread co-expression of sialic acid α-2,6 and α-2,3 receptors, suggesting cats could serve as mixing vessels for reassortment of avian and mammalian influenza viruses. No differences in clade 2.2 or 2.3.4.4b H5 pseudoviruses binding to cat lung/brain tissues indicated the neurotropism is unlikely mediated by receptor binding affinity.
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(bad)

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VeganPizza69 ⓋⒶ Dec 12

"Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5 virus exposure in domestic cats and rural stray cats, the Netherlands, October 2020 to June 2023"

ABSTRACT:

Background

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5Nx and human H1N1pdm2009 influenza viruses can infect cats. Infections in cats may result in viral adaptations or recombinant viruses, which may facilitate zoonotic transfer.

Aim

We aimed to investigate the presence of HPAI H5 clade 2.3.4.4 and H1 influenza viruses and antibodies to these viruses in domestic and rural stray cats in the Netherlands and factors associated with exposure.

Methods

Sera from stray and domestic cats, sampled 2020–2023, were analysed by ELISA and confirmed by hemagglutination inhibition assay (HAI) and pharyngeal swabs and lung tissue for influenza A virus by RT-qPCR.

Results

In 701 stray cats, 83 (11.8%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 9.5–14.5) sera were positive for HPAI H5 and 65 findings were confirmed. In HAI, two sera were positive for both HPAI H5 and H1. In 871 domestic cats, four (0.46%; 95% CI: 0.13–1.2) sera were HPAI H5 positive and none were confirmed but 40 (4.6%; 95% CI: 3.3–6.2) sera were seropositive for H1 and 26 were confirmed. Stray cats living in nature reserves (odds ratio (OR) = 5.4; 95% CI: 1.5–20.1) and older cats (OR = 3.8; 95% CI: 2.7–7.1) were more likely to be HPAI H5 seropositive. No influenza A virus was detected in 230 cats.

Conclusion

The higher HPAI H5 seroprevalence in stray cats compared with domestic cats suggests more frequent viral exposure, most likely due to foraging on wild birds. In contrast, exposure to H1 was more common in domestic cats compared with stray cats.

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Key public health message

What did you want to address in this study and why?

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses have spread among poultry and wild birds. Avian and human influenza viruses can infect cats, and cats may function as a source of novel influenza A viruses to humans. We analysed serum samples, throat and lung samples from domestic and stray cats to investigate exposure to influenza viruses and associated factors.

What have we learnt from this study?

Of the 701 stray cats sampled, 83 had been exposed to HPAI virus, whereas only four of the 871 domestic cats. Exposure was more common in older cats and cats living in nature reserves. Some stray cats had been exposed to both avian and human influenza viruses. In contrast, 40 domestic cats were exposed to human influenza viruses.

What are the implications of your findings for public health?

We showed that cats in the Netherlands were exposed to human and/or avian influenza viruses. We recommend close monitoring of infections with influenza viruses in cats and protective measures when handling suspected cats. Further studies are needed to understand how cats become infected and whether cats can transmit highly pathogenic avian influenza virus to other animals or humans.
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Eurosurveillance | Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5 virus exposure in domestic cats and rural stray cats, the Netherlands, October 2020 to June 2023

Background Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5Nx and human H1N1pdm2009 influenza viruses can infect cats. Infections in cats may result in viral adaptations or recombinant viruses, which may facilitate zoonotic transfer. Aim We aimed to investigate the presence of HPAI H5 clade 2.3.4.4 and H1 influenza viruses and antibodies to these viruses in domestic and rural stray cats in the Netherlands and factors associated with exposure. Methods Sera from stray and domestic cats, sampled 2020–2023, were analysed by ELISA and confirmed by hemagglutination inhibition assay (HAI) and pharyngeal swabs and lung tissue for influenza A virus by RT-qPCR. Results In 701 stray cats, 83 (11.8%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 9.5–14.5) sera were positive for HPAI H5 and 65 findings were confirmed. In HAI, two sera were positive for both HPAI H5 and H1. In 871 domestic cats, four (0.46%; 95% CI: 0.13–1.2) sera were HPAI H5 positive and none were confirmed but 40 (4.6%; 95% CI: 3.3–6.2) sera were seropositive for H1 and 26 were confirmed. Stray cats living in nature reserves (odds ratio (OR) = 5.4; 95% CI: 1.5–20.1) and older cats (OR = 3.8; 95% CI: 2.7–7.1) were more likely to be HPAI H5 seropositive. No influenza A virus was detected in 230 cats. Conclusion The higher HPAI H5 seroprevalence in stray cats compared with domestic cats suggests more frequent viral exposure, most likely due to foraging on wild birds. In contrast, exposure to H1 was more common in domestic cats compared with stray cats.