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Peer-reviewed veterinary case report

H3N8 canine flu virus found in US dogs before 2004

By Anderson, T C et al.·Published in Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)·2012·College of Veterinary Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed

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Original publication title: Serological evidence of H3N8 canine influenza-like virus circulation in USA dogs prior to 2004.

Species:
dog
Canine influenzaBreathing & coughDogs

Plain-English summary

A group of racing greyhounds and shelter dogs were tested for exposure to a canine influenza virus (H3N8) that was first identified in 2004. The study found that some greyhounds had antibodies indicating they had been exposed to this virus as early as 1999, particularly those that raced frequently or at multiple tracks. One shelter dog that entered a Florida shelter in 2004 also showed signs of exposure. This suggests that the H3N8 virus was circulating among dogs before it was officially recognized.

People also search for: dog flu symptoms · greyhound kennel cough · canine influenza treatment

Abstract

H3N8 canine influenza virus (H3N8 CIV) was first reported as a novel canine respiratory pathogen in racing greyhounds and shelter dogs in the U.S.A. in 2004. Phylogenetic analyses determined that this host-adapted pathogen originated from interspecies transmission of an equine influenza virus (EIV), but it is unknown when the transmission occurred prior to discovery in 2004. The objective of this study was to determine if racing greyhound and shelter dog sera collected from 1984 to 2004 had serological evidence of exposure to H3N8 CIV or EIV. Archived sera from 702 racing greyhounds and 1568 shelter dogs were tested for H3 antibodies to the original 2004 CIV isolate, as well as EIV isolates from 1991 to 1999. None of the racing greyhounds from 1984 and 1985 had detectable H3 antibodies. One of the shelter dogs, which entered a north Florida shelter in 2004, was seropositive. For racing greyhounds sampled from 1999 to 2004, 133/520 (26%) dogs had antibodies to both CIV and EIV H3 proteins. The annual seroprevalence was 27% in 1999, 28% in 2000, 10% in 2001, 1% in 2002, 41% in 2003, and 28% in 2004. The odds of H3 seropositivity were greater among dogs that raced > or =6 months, raced on > or =2 tracks, and raced in 1998, 2002, and 2003. Many of the seropositive dogs raced at tracks that were involved in 'kennel cough' epidemics in 1998-1999 and 2002-2003. Based on serological evidence, a H3N8 canine influenza-like virus was circulating in racing greyhounds in the U.S.A. as early as 1999.

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Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22178358/