HEALTH - Canine Flu H3N2 Discovered in Florida

(pexels.com)

The H3N2 flu virus, which first struck the US in 2015, has spread to Florida with the initial cases discovered in late May.

The dogs testing positive were either at a Perry, Georgia, dog show from May 19 to 21 or the Deland, Florida, dog show the next weekend — or were exposed to dogs that had been at those shows.

University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine officials hope to create “community immunity” and as such are encouraging dog owners to vaccinate their pets to prevent the spread of the virus.

“The more dogs in the community that we can vaccinate and build up community immunity, the better chance we have at keeping this virus out of the community,” Dr. Cynda Crawford, an assistant professor of shelter medicine at the college, said at a press conference.

“It’s all about using vaccines to build a wall, an immune barrier, in the community that will stop the virus from entering. Vaccination is still the primary tool we have.”

The virus was present in about 30 other states before appearing in Florida.

“This is a highly contagious virus to dogs, just like influenza virus is to people,” Crawford said. “There is an eminent threat for dogs to be exposed to this virus in this state now.”

The H3N2 canine influenza virus is an avian flu virus that adapted to infect dogs and is different from human seasonal H3N2 viruses.

Canine influenza H3N2 virus was first detected in dogs in South Korea in 2007.

According to the AVMA, Canine influenza is spread via aerosolized respiratory secretions (via coughing, barking and sneezing) and contaminated objects (kennel surfaces, food and water bowls, collars and leashes) and people moving between infected and uninfected dogs.

The signs of this illness in dogs are cough, runny nose, and fever, but not all dogs will show signs of illness.

The severity of illness associated with canine flu in dogs can range from no signs to severe illness resulting in pneumonia and sometimes death.

While death is not common, it is important for owners with dogs exhibiting symptoms to seek veterinary treatment to prevent issues like pneumonia.

HEALTH - Two New Canine Flu Vaccines Developed

It’s flu season and not just for humans - dogs get the flu too.

To combat canine influenza, scientists at University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry have developed the two new vaccines.

Currently veterinarians use vaccines that include inactivated or killed flu virus, but experts say they provide short-term, limited protection.

The new vaccines are “live-attenuated”  and work against H3N8 canine influenza virus, which is currently circulating in dogs in the US, along with the H3N2 virus.

Past research shows that live-attenuated vaccines, made from live flu virus that is dampened down so that it doesn’t cause the flu, provide better immune responses and longer periods of protection.

Scientists, led by Luis Martinez-Sobrido, Ph.D., used a genetic engineering technique called reserve genetics to create a live vaccine that replicates in the nose, but not in the lungs.

The nose is where the virus first enters a dog’s body, so generating an immune response there could stop the virus in its tracks.

The study found the vaccine was safe and able to induce better immune protection against H3N8 canine influenza virus in mice and dog tracheal cells than a commercially available inactivated vaccine.

To develop the second vaccine the team used reserve genetics to remove a protein called NS1 from H3N8 canine influenza virus.

Previous studies have shown that deleting the NS1 viral protein significantly weakens flu viruses so that they elicit an immune response but don’t cause illness, and this process has been successfully used for humans, horses and more.

The next step is clinical trials with dogs.

The team’s goal is to come up with new options to stem the spread of canine influenza in shelters and kennels, and to avoid the transmission of a dog flu virus to people.

According to the CDC there has been no evidence of transmission of canine influenza viruses from dogs to people and there has not been a single reported case of human infection with a canine influenza virus.

“However, influenza viruses are constantly changing and it is possible for a virus to change so that it could infect humans and spread easily between humans.”

This potential was recently illustrated when a veterinarian contracted avian flu (H7N2) through contact with a cat - the first time cats had gotten avian flu and first time it was passed to a human via a feline.  

By preventing dogs from getting the flu in the first place, the risk to humans in negated.

Canine influenza H3N8 virus originated in horses and has been known to exist in horses for more than 40 years.

The first canine infections were discovered in 2004 in greyhounds.

Symptoms include cough, runny nose and fever, but not all dogs will show signs of illness.

The severity of illness associated with canine flu in dogs can range from no signs to severe illness resulting in pneumonia and sometimes death.

Canine Influenza Found in Cats

(Cheryl Wallach Photography)

Sandra Newbury, clinical assistant professor and director of the Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Wisconsin (UW) School of Veterinary Medicine, has confirmed that canine influenza has now infected a group of cats in Indiana.

Newbury, along with Kathy Toohey-Kurth, virology section head at the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, tested multiple cats at an animal shelter in Northwest Indiana and found them positive for the H3N2 canine influenza virus.

“Suspicions of an outbreak in the cats were initially raised when a group of them displayed unusual signs of respiratory disease,” Newbury says in their press release. “While this first confirmed report of multiple cats testing positive for canine influenza in the U.S. shows the virus can affect cats, we hope that infections and illness in felines will continue to be quite rare.”

Cats that have contracted the virus in the shelter have displayed symptoms such as runny nose, congestion and general malaise, as well as lip smacking and excessive salivation. Symptoms have resolved quickly and so far, the virus has not been fatal in cats.

Newbury and the UW Shelter Medicine team are working closely with the animal shelter to manage the influenza outbreak.

An H3N2 vaccine is now available for dogs, but no vaccine is currently approved or recommended for cats.

What Should You Know about Canine Influenza?

A canine influenza outbreak has occurred in Illinois and other Midwestern States. The outbreak was initially believed to be due to the H3N8 virus which has been found in the United States since 2004. However, it has been determined that the outbreak is due to a different influenza virus. H3N2 is the culprit for the current influenza outbreak and it typically causes more severe symptoms than H3N8 though not all infected animals will display symptoms. Both influenza strains can cause fever, decreased appetite, coughing, nasal discharge, and lethargy. H3N2 is also capable of infecting cats.

An Influenza A H3N8 Rt-PCR will not detect the H3N2 virus however an H3N2-specific serology assay is currently being developed. The current vaccine for H3N8 may not provide any protection against this new virus. Cornell University recommends that dog and cat owners avoid geographic areas where the virus is active. Should one live in an area where the virus can be found it, avoid places where dogs are in close quarters such as dog parks and grooming facilities. Joe Schwartz, Public Information Officer from Cornell University recommends that owners of symptomatic dogs and cats should consult their veterinarians about testing and treatment.

Scott Weese, from the Worms and Germs Blog has compiled a list of infection control measures:

• If your dog is sick, keep it away from other dogs.
• If your dog has been exposed to dogs that might have been infected, keep it away from other dogs.
• Don't travel to an endemic region with your dog. 
• Don’t travel out of an endemic region with your dog.
• Don’t import dogs from shelters, puppy mills or similar facilities in areas where H3N2 is active. 
• If the virus is active in your area, decrease dog-dog contact.

READ THE REPORT BY CORNELL UNIVERSITY

Canine Flu Outbreak in Illinois, Sickens Hundreds and Kills 5

In the past month over 1,000 cases of canine influenza have been identified in Cook County, Illinois. So far five dogs have died from the infection. While the flu is not dangerous to humans, people can be carriers of the disease and bring it home to their dogs. 

The Chicago Park District has posted warning signs recommending people to keep their dogs away from areas where they will come in contact with other dogs.  While a dog may appear healthy they can harbor the illness for up to a week before showing symptoms. Dr. Anne Cohen, an emergency and critical care veterinarian at Chicago Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Center suggests that owners consult their veterinarian should they feel concerned about their dog.

Symptoms of canine influenza are very similar to those seen in humans and include: fever, coughing, nasal discharge, and lethargy. 

READ THIS ABC NEWS ARTICLE FOR MORE INFORMATION