Photo and headline: Earth,
Our beloved cats face a new cause for concern: a tiny microscopic entity known as the H5N1 virus, more commonly recognized as avian influenza or bird flu.
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have unearthed compelling evidence of the avian influenza adaptation in domestic cats.
The experts investigated a rural outbreak in South Dakota, where several outdoor cats succumbed to the virus after exhibiting severe neurological and respiratory symptoms.
The highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) H5N1 first surfaced in China in 1996.\
Over the years, the virus has diversified into multiple clades, with clade 2.3.4.4.b emerging as the most geographically widespread. This clade has infected over 90 bird species and 21 mammalian species worldwide, including humans in recent years.
Infections in domestic cats were initially documented in 2004 and linked predominantly to respiratory illness. However, clade 2.3.4.4.b has shown an alarming capacity for neurological impacts in various mammalian hosts, such as sea lions, red foxes, and now domestic cats.
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