J Vet Sci.  2016 Dec;17(4):515-521. 10.4142/jvs.2016.17.4.515.

Post-pandemic seroprevalence of human influenza viruses in domestic cats

• Ibrahim M
• Ali A
• Daniels JB
• Lee CW

• KMID: 2412607
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4142/jvs.2016.17.4.515

Abstract

The continuous exposure of cats to diverse influenza viruses raises the concern of a potential role of cats in the epidemiology of these viruses. Our previous seroprevalence study of domestic cat sera collected during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic wave (September 2009-September 2010) revealed a high prevalence of pandemic H1N1, as well as seasonal H1N1 and H3N2 human flu virus infection (22.5%, 33.0%, and 43.5%, respectively). In this study, we extended the serosurvey of influenza viruses in cat sera collected post-pandemic (June 2011-August 2012). A total of 432 cat sera were tested using the hemagglutination inhibition assay. The results showed an increase in pandemic H1N1 prevalence (33.6%) and a significant reduction in both seasonal H1N1 and H3N2 prevalence (10.9% and 17.6%, respectively) compared to our previous survey conducted during the pandemic wave. The pandemic H1N1 prevalence in cats showed an irregular seasonality pattern in the post-pandemic phase. Pandemic H1N1 reactivity was more frequent among female cats than male cats. In contrast to our earlier finding, no significant association between clinical respiratory disease and influenza virus infection was observed. Our study highlights a high susceptibility among cats to human influenza virus infection that is correlated with influenza prevalence in the human population.

Keyword

H1N1 subtype; cats; influenza A virus; pandemics; seroepidemiologic studies

MeSH Terms

Animals
Antibodies, Viral/*blood
Cat Diseases/blood/*epidemiology
Cats
Female
Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests/veterinary
Humans
Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype/immunology/*isolation & purification
Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype/immunology/*isolation & purification
Male
Ohio/epidemiology
Orthomyxoviridae Infections/*blood/*epidemiology
Prevalence
Seasons
Seroepidemiologic Studies
Antibodies, Viral

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Number and distribution of serum samples tested based on sex and age groups.

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  Fig. 2 Post-pandemic seroprevalence of human influenza viruses in domestic cats relative to seasonal average ambient temperature in Ohio, the United States.

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  Fig. 3 Average Log2 HI antibody titer against pandemic H1N1 and seasonal H1N1 and H3N2 influenza viruses. Pandemic H1N1 HI antibody titers were significantly higher than those of the seasonal H3N2 virus (***p < 0.001).

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  Fig. 4 Post-pandemic seroprevalence of pandemic H1N1, seasonal H3N2, and seasonal H1N1 influenza viruses in different age groups.

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