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INFLUENZA PANDEMIC (H1N1) 2009, ANIMAL (28): USA (UTAH, OREGON) FELINE
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A ProMED-mail post
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International Society for Infectious Diseases
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[1]
Date: 13 Nov 2009
Source: Park Record [edited]
<http://www.parkrecord.com/ci_13782743>
Cat in Park City has the swine flu
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A 14-year-old black cat in Park City has contracted the swine flu
[influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009], a veterinarian told The Park Record
Friday [13 Nov 2009]. The owner of the domestic shorthair had
suffered a bout of the H1N1 flu before taking the sick cat to Park
City Animal Clinic on 6 Nov 2009, said Dr. Carl Prior, a veterinarian
at the animal hospital in Prospector.
"We thought it was H1N1, but now we're 100 percent sure," Prior said
in a telephone interview. The cat showed symptoms similar to a
housecat in Iowa that doctors have confirmed had the swine flu, he
explained. "The cat came in with difficulty breathing and it had some
upper respiratory problems," Prior said. "It almost died. Without
treatment, this cat would have passed away."
A hospital test had confirmed the cat had influenza, Prior said.
"With the history, where the owner was diagnosed with H1N1, I thought
this cat had H1N1," said Prior, who worked this week with doctors at
Iowa State University who helped diagnose the cat in the Midwest with
the swine flu [the proper term is H1N1 influenza. - Mod.TG]. Prior
said the case surprised him.
"It's going to be kind of crazy if these things can jump between
people and animals and animals and people. I'm a little bit worried
about the ramifications of it," Prior said. "If animals are really
getting this and it is becoming more common, you're going to have to
treat pets like you would a person, washing your hands, isolating
sick animals and keeping the pets away from the owners and the owners
away from the pets."
Before Friday, the cat in Iowa was the only reported case of a cat
confirmed to have caught the H1N1 flu, said David Kirkpatrick, a
spokesman for the American Veterinary Medical Association.
A total of 4 ferrets in Oregon had tested positive this week and were
recovering from the H1N1 flu, according to Kirkpatrick.
"The big animals we're concerned about are going to be the ferrets,
birds, pigs and now we're seeing a few cases with the cats," Prior
said. "I haven't seen any dogs that have tested positive for it."
The cat in Park City has nearly recovered from the [H1N1 influenza]
swine flu, he said, adding that another cat in the home was isolated
from the sick pet.
Several illnesses called zoonotic diseases can transfer between
humans and animals.
"I just don't think we know the extent of how things transmit," Prior
said. "If someone is sick or has a sick pet, we need to be more
careful. People can get sick from pets and pets can get sick from people."
[Byline: Patrick Parkinson]
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[2]
Date: 23 Nov 2009
Source: CAT channel [edited]
<http://www.catchannel.com/news/2009/11/23/oregon-cat-with-h1n1-dies.aspx>
Oregon Cat With H1N1 Dies
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The 3rd case of a cat with H1N1 and the 1st feline fatality have been
reported. The Oregon State Public Health Veterinarian confirmed that
a cat in Oregon has died from presumed 2009 H1N1 influenza virus
infection. It's believed that this is the 1st feline H1N1 fatality
and the 3rd case of a cat with the virus, according to the Oregon
Veterinary Medical Association. The other 2 cats from Iowa and Utah
have recovered.
The deceased 10-year-old male cat lived with 3 other cats that also
became ill with different degrees of sneezing and coughing. None of
them had an elevated temperature. Nasal swab samples were collected
and yielded no other positive results for H1N1, according to the
OVMA. In these cases, it is believed that the cats caught the virus
from humans in their households who were sick with influenza-like symptoms.
However, Emilio DeBess, DVM, Oregon State Public Health Veterinarian,
cautions veterinarians and pet owners that it may be possible for
cats to transmit the virus to humans. Coughing and sneezing can
spread the virus which can remain infectious for about a week outside
the body, he said. The OVMA encourages people to thoroughly wash
their hands when handling sick pets or when they are sick.
Still, the OVMA said that cat owners should not panic as the number
of confirmed cases of H1N1 infection in cats is quite small compared
to the U.S. cat population. Cat owners should watch their pet for
signs and seek veterinary care if the cat shows signs of respiratory
illness. Signs include coughing, sneezing, lethargy or conjunctivitis.
The 2009 H1N1 influenza virus has also been detected in ferrets,
pigs, birds and humans.
The American Veterinary Medical Association urges pet owners to
monitor their pets' health very closely, no matter what type of
animal, and visit a veterinarian if there are any signs of illness.
The AVMA is tracking all instances of H1N1 in animals and posting
updates on its website.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
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[Zoonotic diseases are thought of passing from animals to people; but
in fact, diseases go from people to animals as well. This is another
example. As we learn more about the various strains of influenza we
are learning that strains can jump species as well. Equine influenza
is believed to have jumped to dogs and is now also known as canine
influenza. Avian influenza has long been known to jump into swine, as
well as people. Perhaps the question will come down to how we name
the virus, and perhaps it should be the species, and the strain. For
example, do we call this strain, Feline H1N1? Something to ponder. - Mod.TG]
[see also:
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009, animal (27): USA (OR) ferret 20091115.3947
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009, animal (26): USA (OR), ferret 20091114.3936
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009, animal (25): domestic, Hajj 20091110.3889
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009, animal (24): USA, OIE 20091107.3857
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009, animal (23): Taiwan, OIE 20091106.3840
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009, animal (22): USA, swine 20091106.3834
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009, animal (21): USA (IA) feline 20091105.3816
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009, animal (20): USA (NE) ferret 20091101.3777
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009, animal (19): Iceland swine, OIE 20091028.3737
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009, animal (18): Canada (ON) avian,
OIE 20091027.3719
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009, animal (17): Japan (OS) swine,
OIE 20091022.3635
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009, animal (16): Canada (ON) avian 20091022.3629
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009, animal health (15): USA (OR)
ferret 20091021.3618
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009, animal health (14): Canada (ON),
avian 20091020.3602
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009, animal (13): USA swine, conf. 20091020.3600
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009, animal (12): USA swine, susp 20091019.3592
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009, animal health (11): Norway 20091019.3589
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009, animal health (10): Ireland 20091002.3427
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009, animal (09): UK (NI) swine, OIE 20090918.3280
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009, animal health (08): Singapore,
swine 20090904.3114
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009, animal health (07): Chile, avian 20090829.3036
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009, animal health (06): Canada,
swine 20090828.3027
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009, animal health (05): Austr.,
swine 20090826.2999
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009, animal health (04): Chile, avian,
OIE 20090823.2978
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009, animal health (03): Chile, avian,
RFI 20090821.2961
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009, animal health (02): Austr.,
swine 20090820.2951
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009, animal health: Canada (QC) 20090729.2661]
....................tg/ejp/dk
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