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Protection of cats against lethal influenza H5N1 challenge infection
<nobr>Thomas W. Vahlenkamp<sup>1</sup><sup>,
</sup></nobr>, <nobr>Timm C. Harder<sup>1</sup><sup>,</sup></nobr>, <nobr>Matthias Giese<sup>1</sup></nobr>, <nobr>Fengsheng Lin<sup>2</sup></nobr>, <nobr>Jens P. Teifke<sup>1</sup></nobr>, <nobr>Robert Klopfleisch<sup>1</sup></nobr>, <nobr>Ralf Hoffmann<sup>2</sup></nobr>, <nobr>Ian Tarpey<sup>2</sup></nobr>, <nobr>Martin Beer<sup>1</sup></nobr> and <nobr>Thomas C. Mettenleiter<sup>1</sup></nobr>
<sup>1</sup> Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
<sup>2</sup> Intervet UK, Walton Manor, Walton, Milton Keynes, UK
Correspondence<sup> </sup>
Thomas W. Vahlenkamp<sup> </sup>
thomas.vahlenkamp@fli.bund.de<script type="text/javascript"><!-- var u = "thomas.vahlenkamp", d = "fli.bund.de"; document.getElementById("em0").innerHTML = '<a href="mailto:' + u + '@' + d + '">' + u + '@' + d + '<\/a>'//--></script>
<!-- ABS --> Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) H5N1 of Asian<sup> </sup>origin continues to circulate in poultry and wild birds, causing<sup> </sup>considerable concern for veterinary and public health in Asia,<sup> </sup>Europe and Africa. Natural transmission of HPAIV H5N1 from poultry<sup> </sup>to humans, resulting in infections associated with high mortality,<sup> </sup>and from poultry or wild birds to large felids and domestic<sup> </sup>cats has been reported. Experimental infection of cats with<sup> </sup>HPAIV H5N1 derived from a human patient resulted in lethal disease.<sup> </sup>The role of cats in the adaptation of HPAIV H5N1 to mammals<sup> </sup>and vaccination regimens for the eventual protection of cats,<sup> </sup>however, remain to be elucidated. Here, it was shown that cats<sup> </sup>can be protected against a lethal high-dose challenge infection<sup> </sup>by an inactivated, adjuvanted heterologous H5N6 avian influenza<sup> </sup>virus vaccine. The challenge HPAIV H5N1 was derived from a naturally<sup> </sup>infected cat. In non-vaccinated cats, low-dose exposure resulted<sup> </sup>in asymptomatic infections with minimal virus excretion. As<sup> </sup>diseased cats can transmit the infection to na?ve contact<sup> </sup>animals, the epidemiological role of H5N1-infected cats in endemically<sup> </sup>infected areas as a link between wild birds, poultry and humans<sup> </sup>needs close inspection, and vaccination of cats should be considered<sup> </sup>to reduce possible human exposure.
<sup> </sup>
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These authors contributed equally to this work.
<nobr>Thomas W. Vahlenkamp<sup>1</sup><sup>,
</sup></nobr>, <nobr>Timm C. Harder<sup>1</sup><sup>,</sup></nobr>, <nobr>Matthias Giese<sup>1</sup></nobr>, <nobr>Fengsheng Lin<sup>2</sup></nobr>, <nobr>Jens P. Teifke<sup>1</sup></nobr>, <nobr>Robert Klopfleisch<sup>1</sup></nobr>, <nobr>Ralf Hoffmann<sup>2</sup></nobr>, <nobr>Ian Tarpey<sup>2</sup></nobr>, <nobr>Martin Beer<sup>1</sup></nobr> and <nobr>Thomas C. Mettenleiter<sup>1</sup></nobr> <sup>1</sup> Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
<sup>2</sup> Intervet UK, Walton Manor, Walton, Milton Keynes, UK
Correspondence<sup> </sup>
Thomas W. Vahlenkamp<sup> </sup>
thomas.vahlenkamp@fli.bund.de<script type="text/javascript"><!-- var u = "thomas.vahlenkamp", d = "fli.bund.de"; document.getElementById("em0").innerHTML = '<a href="mailto:' + u + '@' + d + '">' + u + '@' + d + '<\/a>'//--></script>
<!-- ABS --> Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) H5N1 of Asian<sup> </sup>origin continues to circulate in poultry and wild birds, causing<sup> </sup>considerable concern for veterinary and public health in Asia,<sup> </sup>Europe and Africa. Natural transmission of HPAIV H5N1 from poultry<sup> </sup>to humans, resulting in infections associated with high mortality,<sup> </sup>and from poultry or wild birds to large felids and domestic<sup> </sup>cats has been reported. Experimental infection of cats with<sup> </sup>HPAIV H5N1 derived from a human patient resulted in lethal disease.<sup> </sup>The role of cats in the adaptation of HPAIV H5N1 to mammals<sup> </sup>and vaccination regimens for the eventual protection of cats,<sup> </sup>however, remain to be elucidated. Here, it was shown that cats<sup> </sup>can be protected against a lethal high-dose challenge infection<sup> </sup>by an inactivated, adjuvanted heterologous H5N6 avian influenza<sup> </sup>virus vaccine. The challenge HPAIV H5N1 was derived from a naturally<sup> </sup>infected cat. In non-vaccinated cats, low-dose exposure resulted<sup> </sup>in asymptomatic infections with minimal virus excretion. As<sup> </sup>diseased cats can transmit the infection to na?ve contact<sup> </sup>animals, the epidemiological role of H5N1-infected cats in endemically<sup> </sup>infected areas as a link between wild birds, poultry and humans<sup> </sup>needs close inspection, and vaccination of cats should be considered<sup> </sup>to reduce possible human exposure.
<sup> </sup>
<!-- null -->
These authors contributed equally to this work.