Avian Influenza

Cats can catch, spread bird flu to other cats; human risk being investigated human

Published in TB and Outbreaks Week, September 21st, 2004

Cats not only can catch the deadly bird flu but can spread it to other felines, Dutch researchers said in a report that raises important questions about the pets' role in outbreaks.

So far, cats have not been implicated in the spread of avian flu to people, said Klaus Stohr, MD, the World Health Organization (WHO)'s influenza chief.

There are two potential reasons, he said. "One is nobody looked. The other is they don't play a role" because infected cats do not shed nearly as much virus as do infected poultry, Stohr said.

Bird flu has caused recurring outbreaks in recent years and has killed 27 people in Asia this year. Until now,...

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Source: TB and Outbreaks Week (2004-09-21)

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