Figure 4. Weight loss, body temperature, and viral shedding in ferrets inoculated with mouse-adapted influenza virus.

Two groups of ferrets (n = 12/group) were inoculated intranasally with 10⁶ TCID₅₀ of virus. (A–C) P0 (B/Florida/04/06) and (D, E, and F) P17 (MA) virus. (A,D) Viral shedding from the nasal wash samples of inoculated ferrets. (B,E) Ferret weight changes during the mouse-adapted virus transmission experiments. Weight loss of inoculated animals is represented as a percentage of body weight. (C,F) Temperature change in inoculated animals is represented as a °C. After 24 h, each two inoculated animals in each group were individually paired and cohoused with direct contact ferrets (n = 2) and indirect aerosol contact ferrets (n = 2). The daily weights and temperature changes (as percentages) of each ferret were compared with the weights measured prior to the initiation of the experiments. Viral replication was monitored by titrating the viruses in the nasal washes that were collected every other day from both the inoculated (Left) and contact-exposed (Right) ferrets. The limit of detection was 1.5 log₁₀TCID₅₀/mL and is indicated by the dotted line for each representation.