H1N1 and Animals

A news station in Hastings, Nebraska (KHAS) has reported that Stormy the ferret, one of four ferrets in a family of humans sick with the flu, has died from the H1N1 virus. The other 3 ferrets in the house also became sick with influenza, but recovered, as did the human family members.

The first case of H1N1 infection, formerly called swine flu, in a ferret has been reported by the Oregon Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA). In this case, the human family had been sick with symptoms compatible with the flu virus, so the ferret was tested at OSU and the National Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. Good news - according to the report, the ferret is recovering.

Officials in Chile reported an outbreak of H1N1 (formerly Swine) Flu in turkeys on August 20, 2009. This is the first known case of H1N1 flu in a species besides humans and pigs. It is believed that, as with swine, the turkeys were infected by a human source.

I received a notice from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) alerting veterinarians that a swine herd in Canada has been confirmed as testing positive for the H1N1 influenza virus. It is important to note that the swine herd was infected by a human who had been in Mexico, came home sick, and later infected the herd.