Table 1. Disease, death, and pathologic data from 4 species of swans and 2 species of geese exposed to highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (H5N1) by intranasal inoculation and contact with infected birds*.
| Species | Disease rate (d to onset) | Duration, d (range)† | Mortality rate (d to death) | Virus distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black swan | 5/5 (1–2) | <1 (0–1) | 5/5 (2–3) | Blood vessels |
| Trumpeter swan | 5/5 (2) | 4 (3–5) | 5/5 (4–6) | Brain, skin, multiple organs‡ |
| Whooper swan | 4/4 (2–4) | 3 (1–5) | 4/4 (4–4) | Brain, skin, multiple organs |
| Mute swan | 5/5 (5–7) | <1 (0–1) | 5/5 (5–8) | Brain, skin, multiple organs |
| Cackling goose | 4/4 (3–7) | 3 (1–9) | 3/4 (4–8) | Brain, pancreas, liver, adrenal gland |
| Bar-headed goose | 5/5 (3–7) | 4 (1–8) | 2/5 (6–7) | Brain |
*Exposure date for each species was adjusted so that 0 d postcontact (when the contact birds were placed into the cage with the inoculated birds) was assumed to be equivalent to 0 d postinoculation. †Average duration of detectable clinical signs. ‡Adrenal gland, pancreas, liver, lungs, heart, spleen, kidneys, air sacs, trachea, intestinal parasympathetic ganglia, and gastrointestinal tract.