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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Athens, Georgia » U.S. National Poultry Research Center » Exotic & Emerging Avian Viral Diseases Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #340237
Research Project: Intervention Strategies to Prevent and Control Disease Outbreaks Caused by Emerging Strains of Avian Influenza Viruses

Location: Exotic & Emerging Avian Viral Diseases Research

Title: First detection of avian lineage H7N2 in Felis catus

Author
item NEWBURY, SANDRA - University Of Wisconsin
item CIGEL, FRANCINE - University Of Wisconsin
item KILLIAN, MARY LEA - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
item LEUTENEGGER, CHRISTIAN - Idexx Laboratories
item SEGUIN, ALEXIS - Idexx Laboratories
item CROSSLEY, BEATTA - California Animal Health & Food Laboratory
item BRENNEN, ROBIN - Animal Care Center Of New York
item Suarez, David
item TORCHETTI, MIA - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
item TOOHEY-KURTH, KATHY - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)

Submitted to: Genome Announcements
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/18/2017
Publication Date: 6/8/2017
Citation: Newbury, S.P., Cigel, F., Killian, M., Leutenegger, C., Seguin, A., Crossley, B., Brennen, R., Suarez, D.L., Torchetti, M., Toohey-Kurth, K. 2017. First detection of avian lineage H7N2 in Felis catus. Genome Announcements. 5(23):e00457-17. doi:10.1128/genomeA.00457-17.

Interpretive Summary: In December of 2016 a unique influenza was recovered from cats in animal shelter in New York City. The virus caused respiratory disease in cats and may have contributed to the deaths of two cats in the animal shelter. This virus was classified as an H7N2 influenza virus. No influenza viruses have been shown to be found routinely in cats, but rarely cats can become infected from influenza of other animals. The virus found in these cats was unusual because it was most closely related to viruses found in poultry in 2000. It is unclear where the virus came from to infect the cats, but control efforts were used to have the cats recover and be free of the virus.

Technical Abstract: In December 2016, influenza A (H7N2) was first detected among cats in the New York City shelter system with subsequent widespread transmission. The sequence of the first clinical isolate, A/feline/New York/16-040082-1/2016(H7N2), and its genetic similarity to the live bird market lineage of H7N2 low-pathogenicity avian influenza are described.