infected cats, possible transmission to humans?

Avian influenza, a highly contagious animal disease caused by influenza type A viruses, continues to actively spread around the world. It can affect many species of wild and pet birds and those in zoos in which mortality episodes can be up to 100%. However, the virus is increasingly attacking mammals. Since Pierre Bessière, virologist at the National Veterinary School of Toulouse (Haute-Garonne), monitors pathogens that can be transmitted from one species to another, he recently looked at the case of cats, whose Preferred prey are potentially contaminated birds.

Out of 600 blood samples from cats, “13 animals” are positive

As part of a study, he examined blood samples taken from cats by veterinarians “who had access to the outside. In total, we had 800 samples, for the moment, there are a little less than 600 which have been analyzed. Of the 600, there were 13 positive animals. Two stray cats and 11 owned cats If we extrapolate our results to the total population, we will arrive at data between 0.5 and 1% of French cats who may have encountered the virus at some point in their lives. (…) The cat is an animal that lives at the interface between the domestic world and the wild world; cats that have access to the outdoors, in the countryside or elsewhere, will be exposed to birds, especially since “They hunt. So it’s this predatory behavior that will put them in contact with the virus, via infected birds.” declared the specialist to France 3 Occitanie.

According to TF1who also questioned the Toulouse virologist, cats carrying the H5N1 virus have low mortality, but suffer from respiratory distress or convulsions. Faced with these results, which surprised him, he recalls that avian flu is “much less rare than we thought. So, there is awareness work to be done among veterinary practitioners.”

The H5N1 virus “can affect humans. However, this remains rare.”

Currently, the main risk lies in the transmission of the virus to the animal owner. Indeed, Pierre Bessière emphasizes that “theoretically”the virus responsible for avian flu can be transmitted to humans. “Influenza viruses mutate quite easily, and when they pass from one species to another, they acquire mutations that allow them to multiply more easily in that species. So if a virus passes from birds to cats, mutations will appear to adapt to cats. And if the virus can adapt to cats, it can adapt to mammals, and therefore it can affect humans. However, this remains rare.

He goes further in his explanation: “for a virus to be effectively transmitted between individuals, it must multiply within the respiratory system. A duck has a body temperature of around 42 degrees, a cat 38, and if we are interested in the temperature of the human being is 37 degrees. The temperature of the trachea is 33 degrees. The strains of H5N1 currently circulating are not operational at this temperature.

Avian flu: 20 infected felines died in an American sanctuary

Across the Atlantic, bird flu is also wreaking havoc. In one month, 20 of 37 felines at the Wild Felid Advocacy Center, a sanctuary for big cats in Washington state, including lynx, leopards and tigers, died after being infected with the H5N1 virus. It was “older felines with previous medical problems and younger, healthier felines.” According to Mark Mathews, director of the sanctuary interviewed by the Washington Postanimals could have been contaminated in different ways, including by consuming contaminated meat or water or by coming into contact with infected birds.