Swine Flu confirmed in Iowa cat

[ckd816]

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http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jr75crEkS7CYHpDahQAdaXRWCdbwD9BOSHP04

Crazy!

 

[BlacKAT33]

h1n1 confirmed in ferret. just copy and pasting ProMed article, sry about the random characters inside the post, it just came like that in my email


A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases <http://www.isid.org> =20
Date: 1 Nov 2009
Source: About.com: veterinary medicine [edited] <http://vetmedicine.about.com/b/2009/11/01/h1n1-swine-flu-ferret-dies-in-ne=
braska.htm>
=20
=20
A news station in Hastings=2C 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 H1N1including Stormy. =20 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=2C Iowa.]. Ferrets have respiratory systems similar to humans and are known to be=20 susceptible to human flu viruses. Infectious disease specialists do not think dogs and cats are at risk for H1N1 infection=2C and there have=20 been no reports of dogs or cats with H1N1 infection at this writing.=20 Pet birds may be at risk=2C since the H1N1 jumped to turkeys last summer=20 [2009]. Caution is also advised for pet pigs. =20 Proper hygiene and sanitation (washing hands=2C bowls=2C tools and=20
clothing) and isolating sick individuals are the best defenses against=20 flu viruses. =20 It should be noted that dogs and cats have their own flu viruses=2C=20 notably the H3N8 flu virus in dogs currently in the news. =20
- --
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Mary Marshall
=20
[Ferrets have many of the same clinical signs as humans with flu:=20 fever=2C lethargy=2C weakness=2C coughing and sneezing. Ferret owners need= =20 to be particularly careful with coughing or sneezing in the direction=20 of the pet=2C as it may pass the flu to it. =20 Readers are encouraged to view the moderator's remarks in ProMED-mail=20 post 20091021.3618. - Mod.TG] =20 [Photo of pet ferret: <http://www.seavs.com/DANYAFERRET.jpg>
- - Mod.JW]
=20
[see also:
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009=2C animal health (15): USA (OR) ferret=20 20091021.3618]

 

[VeganSoprano]

Interesting. H1N1 has hit my workplace hard. I've been spared so far, but we've had 5 or so people out each day for the past week or so. It's sort of a given that we'll pass flu to one another, but to our patients? Too crazy!

 

[eventualeventer]

From the Worms and Germs blog on the subject:

Basically, remember that your pets are part of the household microbiologically as well as socially.

 

[cowgirla]

Interesting. H1N1 has hit my workplace hard. I've been spared so far, but we've had 5 or so people out each day for the past week or so. It's sort of a given that we'll pass flu to one another, but to our patients? Too crazy!

I think I'm next on "Swine flu's" hit list...
Everyone I work with, including the vet, has been out of work for at least one day in the past two weeks. And yet, I haven't even had a sniffle yet...
On top of that, my professor and half my classmates have also been sick, as have my landlords (whose house connects to my apartment), and my two best friends.

I'm so screwed...!

 

[HopefulAg]

I think I've already been hit with swine flu earlier this year. Let's hope I got immunity, cause it was hardly pleasant.


Anyhow, for interviews you can mark this up on the list of 'recent event' material.

 

[GellaBella]

I haven't had any symptoms yet either...actually nobody I know in NJ has had it yet. One of my best friends in NYC got it, but thats it.

I'm just hoping it doesn't hit me right as I'm about to go off to interviews...if I get any...think they'll allow rescheduling for people who do get sick?

 

[CatAddict]

this story was just on npr! there was a vet from osu on the program
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120138854