An outbreak of bird flu affecting domestic cats in Poland has raised concerns that the epidemic is currently limited to animal health but could have important global public health implications if left unchecked.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is closely monitoring the bird flu outbreak House cat No hypothesis was ruled out after the animals started dying unusually in different regions last June. Poland soon to be linked to the outbreak H5N1 Avian Influenza Virus. Multiple transmission possibilities currently exist: direct or indirect contact with infected birds, ingestion of infected animals or contaminated food.
As of July 11, samples from 46 captive cats and 1 wild cat (also known as African lynx) had been tested, and 63% of them tested positive for H5N1 avian influenza. Infection has been confirmed in 13 regions of the country. “Of these cats, 11 died and 14 had to be euthanized. This means that at least 54% of the cats affected had died,” he explained in a statement. Eliza Perez RamirezVeterinary Virologist Valde Olmos (Madrid) Animal Health Research Center (CISA, INIA-CSIC). The World Health Organization has issued a series of recommendations for the unusual but possible occurrence of an avian virus “jumping” into a certain domestic mammal, along with a series of recommendations to reduce the health risks.
Several outbreaks of bird flu occurred in my country House cat This is very relevant because so far there have only been specific cases of jumping from birds to cats, for example in France or Italy. “However, this is the first time an outbreak of these traits has affected domestic cats in very remote locations across the country.”
He explained that the affected pets showed “severe symptoms, mainly neurological and respiratory symptoms (difficulty breathing). In some cases, bloody diarrhea was also present. At necropsy, lesions consistent with pneumonia were observed. Finally One reported death occurred on June 30” “the expert continued.
“Genomic analysis confirmed that the virus involved was H5N1 of clade 2.3.4.4.b, which caused the current pandemic, bird flu epidemic Worst ever. The virus isolated from the cat was very similar to that found in wild birds in Poland. ”
In order to understand how the outbreak started, it is now necessary to trace the cases to determine whether the cats were outdoors: of the 25 infected cats, two are known to be outdoors and 18 are indoors but have access to outdoors . Pérez Ramírez continued, “So the route of transmission through food has to be considered very carefully.”
In fact, on 5 July Polish virologist Krzysztof Pyrc issued a statement confirming the isolation of avian influenza virus in one of the five meat samples analyzed: at least Infectious virus was present in a fed meat sample. to the cat.
“There is a need to understand how these animals became infected. Through contaminated food? Through eating infected wild birds? Both? If it was infected poultry meat, where did the meat come from? Has it been infected? Is it marketed? Is it capable of being infected?” for feeding other animals, such as mink, which we know can also get the virus through the digestive tract? ”
“It’s never good news for an avian virus like H5N1 to infect mammals, if those mammals have close contact with people, or even less, the CSIC virologist continued. So far, none of the 70 people who have been in close contact with the affected cats have developed respiratory or other symptoms, but “this feline outbreak adds to the hundreds of mammalian outbreaks that have occurred around the world since 2021.” adds to that.”
Most of the cases so far have affected wild mammals, with many deaths including sea lions and seals, but there are also Severe outbreak in mink farm Outbreaks of arctic fox and mink in Galicia in October 2022, the latest in six regions fur farm from Finland.If we now add Virus spreads from birds to pets“The situation is further complicated by the fact that it is no longer just a serious animal health concern and poses a clear risk to public health.”