Volume 14, Number 2—February 2008
Dispatch
Experimental Infection and Natural Contact Exposure of Dogs with Avian Influenza Virus (H5N1)
Matthias Giese*, Timm C. Harder*, Jens P. Teifke*, Robert Klopfleisch*, Angele Breithaupt*, Thomas C. Mettenleiter*, and Thomas W. Vahlenkamp*
Table
Course of experimental influenza virus (H5N1) infection of dogs and in-contact animals*
| Dog no. | EID50 | Body temperature (dpi) |
Pharyngeal swab (dpi) |
Euthanized (dpi) | Antibodies |
||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | HI | ELISA | ||||
| 1 | 106 | 38.5 | 39.2 | 38.8 | 38.8 | – | + | – | – | 10 | – | (+)† | |
| 2 | 106 | 38.4 | 39.7 | 39.1 | 38.8 | – | + | – | – | 10 | – | (+)‡ | |
| 3 | 106 | 38.5 | 39.3 | 38.6 | 38.4 | – | + | – | – | 21 | 16 | + | |
| 4 | 106 | 38.7 | 39.3 | 39.1 | 38.6 | – | – | – | – | 21 | – | – | |
| 5 (dog contact) | 0 | 38.3 | 38.4 | 38.0 | 38.7 | – | – | – | – | 21 | – | – | |
| 6 (cat contact) | 0 | 38.4 | 38.2 | 38.4 | 38.5 | – | – | – | – | 21 | – | – | |
| 7 (cat contact) | 0 | 38.3 | 38.5 | 38.6 | 38.8 | – | – | – | – | 21 | – | – | |
| 8 (cat contact) | 0 | 38.4 | 38.5 | 38.2 | 38.3 | – | – | – | – | 21 | – | – | |
| 9 (neg. control) | 0 | 38.4 | 38.2 | 38.7 | 37.8 | – | – | – | – | 21 | – | – | |
| 10 (neg. control) | 0 | 38.3 | 38.6 | 38.8 | 38.0 | – | – | – | – | 21 | – | – | |
*Elevated body temperatures (above 39°C) are underlined. Real time reverse transcription–PCR results are given as – (cycle threshold [ct] values >38) and + (ct values 31–38). Animal serum samples were examined by hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) using highly pathogenic influenza virus (H5N1) strain A/cat/Germany/R606/2006 (9) as antigen. Results are given as reciprocal titers. Competitive nucleoprotein ELISA results are given as – (inhibition <65%) and + (inhibition >65); EID50, 50% egg infectious dose; dpi, days postinfection.
†Serum from dog no. 1 on dpi 10 showed 39.4% inhibition.
‡Serum from dog no. 2 showed 21.6% inhibition.
