From:
Sukie Crandall
Date: 2009-02-14 19:29:38 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Abstract; last year or the year before someone asked about this
To: fhl <ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com>, ferret-l@LISTSERV.FERRETMAILINGLIST.ORG
Now there finally is an answer:
Yes, some strains of avian influenza can be passed to ferrets through
consumption of infected raw poultry (to respiratory system apparently
through tonsils, and to liver and pancreas from intestinal route).
I think the question came from a raw feeder UK back then (Chris was it
you?), but it has been so long that I am not sure and do not know if
the person who asked is on the FHL any longer so will copy the
abstract to the FML in case the person is around in either.
***Is the asker here? If so, please, let me know privately. It was a
great question!***
BEGIN QUOTE
J Infect Dis. 2009 Mar 1;199(5):717-25.
Pathogenesis of H5N1 Influenza Virus Infections in Mice and Ferret
Models Differs According to Respiratory Tract or Digestive System
Exposure.
Lipatov AS, Kwon YK, Pantin-Jackwood MJ, Swayne DE.
Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service,
United States Department of Agriculture, Athens, Georgia.
Background. Epidemiologic, clinical, and laboratory data suggest that
H5N1 influenza viruses are transmitted through and predominantly
affect the respiratory system of mammals. Some data suggest digestive
system involvement. However, direct evidence of alimentary
transmission and infection in mammals is lacking. Methods. Infection
with and pathogenesis of 4 H5N1 viruses were assessed in mice and
ferrets inoculated intranasally or intragastrically with virus in
liquid. In addition, ferrets were fed infected raw chicken meat or
minced meat administered into the stomach by gavage with a tube.
Results. Only one virus, A/Whooper swan/Mongolia/244/05, was able to
infect mice after intragastric inoculation in liquid, whereas no
evidence of infection was observed in ferrets after intragastric
inoculation. Consumption of infected meat by ferrets resulted in
respiratory system infection only (due to A/Muscovy duck/Vietnam/
209/05 and A/Whooper swan/Mongolia/244/05 viruses) or in both severe
respiratory and systemic infection with predominant involvement of the
liver, pancreas, and large and small intestine (due to A/Vietnam/
1203/04 virus). Direct intragastric exposure to infected meat (A/
Vietnam/1203/04 virus) resulted in lethal systemic disease mainly
affecting the intestine, liver, and pancreas but not involving the
lungs. Conclusions. Our results demonstrated that exposure of the
digestive system to H5N1 influenza viruses could initiate infection
either through the tonsil, with spread to respiratory tissues, or
through intestinal infection, with spread to the liver and pancreas.
PMID: 19210164
END QUOTE
URL:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19210164
I guess that just boils down to what Dr. Karen said at the IFC
Symposium this year: It is best to know the origin of the animals
that are used as food and their health. (She gets from a private farm
she visits and checks.) Of course, I suspect that all farms will have
to start being more careful if influenza is present after this because
it might be a human infection route, too, if handlers of raw are not
careful enough.
Now, there is a new question, I think: can any strains of avian
influenza be passed on or in uncooked eggs?
Bill, you will have to decide if this post is okay for the FML. The
abstract just appeared in Pub Med between my last check early
yesterday morning and now.
Sukie (not a vet)
Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
------------------------------------
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
mailto:ferrethealth-digest@yahoogroups.com
mailto:ferrethealth-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
ferrethealth-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/