Ferrets develop fatal influenza after inhaling small particle aerosols of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus A/Vietnam/1203/2004 (H5N1)

Table 4 Clinical and behavioral observations in virus-infected ferrets.

Sign/Observation		Range of day(s) symptoms observed postinoculation with virus^a
		WS/05 intranasal	IRAQ/06 intranasal	Viet/04 intranasal	Viet/04 aerosol
Death^b		N/O^c	N/O	Days 5 - 12	Days 3 - 5
Soft stool/diarrhea		N/O	N/O	Days 3 - 5	Days 2 - 5
Fever		Days 2 - 7	Days 2 - 7	Days 2 - 9	Days 2 - 5
Inappetence		Days 2 - 7	Days 4 - 7	Days 3 - 12	Days 2 - 5
Labored breathing^d/wheezing		Days 4 - 6	N/O	Day 5	Days 4 - 5
Lethargy		Days 3 - 7	Days 4 - 5	Days 3 - 12	Days 1 - 5
Neurologic signs	Aggression-dementia	N/O	N/O	N/O	Day 4
	Ataxia	N/O	N/O	Days 5 - 12	Days 4 - 5
	Convulsions	N/O	N/O	Day 5	Days 4 - 5
	Head-tilt	N/O	N/O	N/O	Day 4
	Hind-limb paralysis	N/O	N/O	N/O	Day 4
	Shaking of head (only)	N/O	N/O	Days 11- 12	N/O
Shaking (whole body) or shivering		Days 5 - 6	N/O	N/O	Days 2 - 4
Sneezing		Days 5 - 6	N/O	N/O	Day 2
Weight loss		Days 1 - 7	Days 4 - 7	Days 2 - 12	Days 1 - 5
Resolution		Day 8 onwards	Day 8 onwards	Uncertain	N/O
Dehydration/Thin		Day 7	N/O	Days 5-12	Days 3-5

^aTen-day observation period for MO/05 and IRAQ/06; twelve-day for Viet/04.
^bAnimals found dead or euthanized for humanitarian reasons
^cN/O; not observed.
^dLabored breathing; animals exhibited open-mouth breathing with exaggerated abdominal movement.

ISSN: 1743-422X