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. 2015 Aug 15;25(5):634–650. doi: 10.1111/bpa.12281

Figure 3.

figure

Distribution and quantitation of influenza infection in the ferret at different time points after infection. Throughout the time course of infection with H1N1pdm09 virus, viral‐infected cells are restricted to the respiratory tract except for a late chronic infection of the gut lamina propria. Infection with H5N1 virus (VN04) follows an entirely different course. While beginning in the lung, H5N1 virus infection quickly spreads to systemic organs. H5N1 virus can be detected in the liver by 2 days post‐infection (DPI) and as early as 4 DPI in the brain. At the terminal stage of infection (marked by X on the line chart), the vast majority of virus can be detected within the brain, while infection in the lung has begun to abate. Ferrets infected first with H1N1pdm09 or H3N2 virus (Vic11) followed by H5N1 virus (VN04) challenge 3 months later have different outcomes as well. Prior infection with H1N1pdm09 virus protects the ferret from H5N1 virus infection except for a late chronic infection of the gut lamina propria and liver. Prior infection with H3N2 virus leads to systemic spread of H5N1 virus to the brain and liver with lethal encephalitis by 6 DPI (marked by X on line chart).