Canine influenza

Influenza (Flu)
Types
Avian (A/H5N1 subtype) · Canine Equine · Swine (A/H1N1 subtype)
Vaccines
2009 pandemic (Pandemrix) ACAM-FLU-A · Fluzone · Influvac Live attenuated (FluMist) · Optaflu
Treatment
Amantadine · Arbidol · Laninamivir Oseltamivir · Peramivir · Rimantadine Vitamin D · Zanamivir
Pandemics
2009 Swine · 1968–1969 Hong Kong · 1918
Outbreaks
2008 West Bengal 2007 Bernard Matthews H5N1 2007 Australian equine 2006 H5N1 India · 1976 swine flu
See also
Flu season · Influenza evolution Influenza research Influenza-like illness
v · d · e

Canine influenza (dog flu) is influenza occurring in canines. Canine influenza is caused by varieties of Influenzavirus A, such as equine influenza virus H3N8, which in 2004 was discovered to cause disease in dogs. Because of the lack of previous exposure to this virus, dogs have no natural immunity to this virus. Therefore, the disease is rapidly transmitted between individual dogs. Canine influenza may be endemic in some regional dog populations of the United States. It is a disease with a high morbidity but a low mortality.^[1]

History

 The highly contagious equine influenza A virus subtype H3N8 was found to have been the cause of Greyhound race dog fatalities from a respiratory illness at a Florida racetrack in January 2004. The exposure and transfer apparently occurred at horse racing tracks, where dog racing also occurs.  This was the first evidence of an influenza A virus causing disease in dogs.  However, serum collected from racing Greyhounds between 1984 and 2004 and tested for canine influenza virus (CIV) in 2007 had positive tests going as far back as 1999.  It is possible that CIV caused some of the respiratory disease outbreaks at tracks between 1999 and 2003.[2]

H3N8 was also responsible for a major dog flu outbreak in New York state in all breeds of dogs. From January to May 2005, outbreaks occurred at 20 racetracks in 10 states (Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Texas, and West Virginia).^[3] As of August 2006, dog flu has been confirmed in 22 U.S. states, including pet dogs in Wyoming, California, Connecticut, Delaware, and Hawaii.^[4] There are three areas in the United States that may now be considered endemic for CIV due to continuous waves of cases: New York, southern Florida, and northern Colorado/southern Wyoming.^[5] There is no evidence that the virus can be transferred to people, horses, cats, or other species.^[6]

H5N1 (avian influenza) was also shown to cause death in one dog in Thailand, following ingestion of an infected duck.^[7]

The virus

Influenza A viruses are enveloped negative sense single-stranded RNA viruses.^[8] Genome analysis has shown that H3N8 was transferred from horses to dogs and then adapted to dogs through point mutations in the genes.^[9] The incubation period is two to five days and viral shedding may occur for seven to ten days following the onset of symptoms.^[10] It does not induce a persistent carrier state.

Symptoms

About 80 percent of infected dogs with H3N8 show symptoms, usually mild (the other 20 percent have subclinical infections), and the fatality rate for Greyhounds in early outbreaks was 5 to 8 percent,^[11] although the overall fatality rate in the general pet and shelter population is probably less than 1 percent.^[12] Symptoms of the mild form include a cough that lasts for ten to thirty days and possibly a greenish nasal discharge. Dogs with the more severe form may have a high fever and pneumonia.^[13] Pneumonia in these dogs is not caused by the influenza virus, but by secondary bacterial infections. The fatality rate of dogs that develop pneumonia secondary to canine influenza can reach 50 percent if not given proper treatment.^[5] Necropsies in dogs that die from the disease reveal severe hemorrhagic pneumonia and evidence of vasculitis.^[14]

Diagnosis

The presence of an upper respiratory tract infection in a dog that has been vaccinated for the other major causes of kennel cough increases suspicion of infection with canine influenza, especially in areas where the disease has been documented. A serum sample from a dog suspected of having canine influenza can be submitted to a laboratory that performs PCR tests for this virus.^[12]

Vaccine

In June 2009, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) approved the first canine influenza vaccine.^{[15][16][17][18]}

See also

• Bird flu
• Horse flu
• Human flu
• Swine flu
• Cat flu

References

1. ^ "Media Briefing on Canine Influenza". CDC. September 26, 2005. Archived from the original on 2007-04-10. http://web.archive.org/web/20070410004420/http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/transcripts/t050926.htm. Retrieved 2007-04-21. 
2. ^ Rosenthal, Marie (July 2007). "CIV may have started circulating earlier than originally thought". Veterinary Forum (Veterinary Learning Systems) 24 (7): 12. 
3. ^ Medical News Today referencing September 26 issue of Science Express (Vol. 309, No. 5743)
4. ^ Tremayne, Jessica (August 2006). "Canine flu confirmed in 22 states". DVM: 1, 66–67. 
5. ^ ^{a b} Yin, Sophia (September 2007). "Managing canine influenza virus". Veterinary Forum (Veterinary Learning Systems) 24 (9): 40–41. 
6. ^ Crawford, C; Dubovi EJ, Donis RO, Castleman WL, Gibbs EPJ, Hill RC, Katz JM, Ferro P, Anderson TC (2006). "Canine Influenza Virus Infection". Proceedings of the North American Veterinary Conference. http://www.ivis.org/proceedings/navc/2006/SAE/218.asp?LA=1. Retrieved 2007-04-21. 
7. ^ Songserm T, Amonsin A, Jam-on R, Sae-Heng N, Pariyothorn N, Payungporn S, Theamboonlers A, Chutinimitkul S, Thanawongnuwech R, Poovorawan Y (2006). "Fatal avian influenza A H5N1 in a dog". Emerging Infect. Dis. 12 (11): 1744–7. PMID 17283627. 
8. ^ ICTVdB Management (2006). 00.046.0.01. Influenzavirus A. In: ICTVdB - The Universal Virus Database, version 4. Büchen-Osmond, C. (Ed), Columbia University, New York, USA [1]
9. ^ Buonavoglia C, Martella V (2007). "Canine respiratory viruses". Vet. Res. 38 (2): 355–73. doi:10.1051/vetres:2006058. PMID 17296161. 
10. ^ "Canine Influenza Virus (Canine Flu)". UF College of Veterinary Medicine Public Relations Office. 2005-08-12. Archived from the original on 2006-07-17. http://web.archive.org/web/20060717170950/http://www.vetmed.ufl.edu/pr/nw_story/CANINEFLUFACTSHEET.htm. Retrieved 2006-08-17. 
11. ^ Carter, G.R.; Flores, E.F.; Wise, D.J. (2006). "Orthomyxoviridae". A Concise Review of Veterinary Virology. http://www.ivis.org/advances/carter/Part2Chap20/chapter.asp?LA=1#Canine. Retrieved 2006-08-17. 
12. ^ ^{a b} de Morais, Helio Autran (November 2006). "Canine influenza: Risks, management, and prevention". Veterinary Medicine (Advanstar Communications) 101 (11): 714. 
13. ^ "Control of Canine Influenza in Dogs — Questions, Answers, and Interim Guidelines". AVMA. 2005-12-01. http://www.avma.org/public_health/influenza/canine_guidelines.asp. Retrieved 2006-08-17. 
14. ^ Yoon K, Cooper V, Schwartz K, Harmon K, Kim W, Janke B, Strohbehn J, Butts D, Troutman J (2005). "Influenza virus infection in racing greyhounds". Emerging Infect. Dis. 11 (12): 1974–6. PMID 16485496. 
15. ^ "Aphis Issues Conditional License For Canine Influenza Virus Vaccine" (Press release). Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). 23 June 2009. http://www.aphis.usda.gov/newsroom/content/2009/06/caninevacc.shtml. Retrieved 2009-11-11. 
16. ^ "New Vaccine from Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health". Schering-Plough. 23 June 2009. http://www.intervetusa.com//news/2009-06-23.aspx. Retrieved 2009-11-11. 
17. ^ "Canine Influenza Virus (CIV) Backgrounder" (PDF). Schering-Plough. 2009. http://www.intervetusa.com/binaries/INTV-9319%20FluBackgrounder%20prt_tcm130-184455.pdf. Retrieved 2009-11-11. 
18. ^ McNeil Jr., Donald G. (June 29, 2009). "New Flu Vaccine Approved -- for Dogs". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/30/health/30flu.html. Retrieved 2009-11-11. 

Further reading

• A New Deadly, Contagious Dog Flu Virus Is Detected in 7 States The New York Times
• States that have identified dogs with CIV
• Canine Influenza from The Pet Health Library
• Canine Influenza from Veterinary Partner
• Canine Influenza Fact Sheet Center for Food Security and Public Health (CFSPH), Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine
• AVMA Backgrounder: canine influenza