International Journal of Contemporary Research In Multidisciplinary, 2024;3(1):99-101
Influenza A virus in cats – Why it needs global attention?
Author Name: Vishnu Prasad Santhosh Pillai, Tony Sajan Varikatt, Sneha Aji Reji, Nayana Prakash
Paper Type: review paper
Article Information
Abstract:
Recent outbreak of H5N1 avian influenza among cats in Poland has increased the concerns over the spread of Influenza A virus and potential public health risks it poses. Influenza An outbreak in cats are rare, but reported ones are of public health significance, which have involved human infections also. Symptoms in infected cats are variable, sometimes getting severe and ending up fatally. There are no commercially available vaccines against Influenza A for cats, which demands further research and development. Timely detection, isolation and treatment measures are imperatives to control and prevent outbreaks. One Health approach is obviously the best way to address this growing concern of Influenza A infection in cats and other mammals including humans.
Keywords:
Influenza A, Public health, Cat, One health, infections, Symptoms
Introduction:
Recently, in June 2023, several cats were tested positive for highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Poland, resurging concerns about the public health threats it poses [1]. Although outbreaks of Avian Influenza (AI) in feline species are rare, some sporadic reports suggest a critical look into the likelihood of AI infection in cats and further into the zoonotic potential it could have. Meanwhile, transmission from humans to cats is also pertinent [2]. In the backdrop of a One Health approach, the occurrence of AI in cats is worthy of discussion. The etiological agent of AI is Influenza, a virus (IAV) that belongs to the Orthomyxoviridae family and has been classified into several subtypes based on Hemagglutinin (HA) and Neuraminidase (NA) surface proteins. It is a single-stranded RNA virus with eight segments, which predisposes the virus for genetic reassortments, enabling immune system evasion and host shifting [3]. Some subtypes, such as H5N1, have been recognized to be of significant zoonotic importance pertaining to the outbreaks reported in humans [4]. Human infections of Influenza A have been shown to elicit variable symptoms in patients ranging from fever and respiratory illness to severe inflammation, even leading to death if pre-existing disease conditions have debilitated the patient [5].
How to Cite this Article:
Vishnu Prasad Santhosh Pillai, Tony Sajan Varikatt, Sneha Aji Reji, Nayana Prakash. Influenza A virus in cats – Why it needs global attention?. International Journal of Contemporary Research in Multidisciplinary. 2024: 3(1):99-101
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