H5N1 Avian Flu Strain Shown to Infect Bovine Calves

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H5N1 Avian Flu Strain Shown to Infect Bovine Calves

July 12, 2008

The H5N1 strain of avian influenza can infect bovine calves, at least

after high-titer intranasal inoculation, and conventional tests may

underestimate such infections, a team of German researchers reported

in the July issue of CDC's Emerging Infectious Diseases journal. The

team had experimentally inoculated a few calves with highly pathogenic

H5N1 in a Biosafety Level 3+ animal facility to test bird-to-calf

transmission and also calf-to-calf transmission. " Although the

question whether calf-to-calf transmission of HPAIV (H5N1) occurs

could not be definitely answered by our study, bird-to-calf

transmission resulting in seroconversion is probable, " they concluded.

(Seroconversion is the development of antibodies in the blood in

response to an infection.)

The study was funded by Germany's Federal Ministry of Food,

Agriculture and Consumer Protection and conducted by Dr. Donata

Kalthoff, a veterinarian at the Institute of Diagnostic Virology at

FLI Insel Riems, and colleagues there. Her research interests are the

pathogenesis of H5NI in bird and mammal species and vaccine

development, according to the paper, which is available at

www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/index.htm.

The authors said their data are the first to be reported to their

knowledge on the susceptibility of cattle to infections with H5N1. The

calves remained healthy throughout the study.

http://www.ohsonline.com/articles/65333/