(ANSA) – ROME, JULY 04 – The Polish National Veterinary Research Institute has announced the results of the first genetic analyzes on the avian flu viruses that have infected at least 16 cats in recent days. This is the H5N1 virus strain called CH which, in the last season, circulated more frequently in birds in the country.
According to the analyzes, all analyzed viruses are closely related to each other. “This indicates that the H5N1 feline avian influenza viruses analyzed so far come from a single unidentified source, related to H5N1 viruses circulating in wild birds in recent weeks in Poland,” explains the Polish institute. “Moreover, the molecular analysis indicates the presence of mutations that improve the adaptation of the virus to mammals”. A characteristic, the latter, not new, especially in the last season which has seen a wide diffusion of the H5N1 avian influenza virus in mammals.
At the moment, the source of the infection has not yet been clarified.
In recent days, the joint network of the World Organization for Animal Health and FAO (Offlu) dedicated to influenza had excluded “a direct role of infected wild birds”, since “not all suspected cases had access to the external”, as well as cat-to-cat transmission given the “wide geographical distribution of suspected cases”. (HANDLE).
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