Table 3.
Virus dissemination after highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 infection of cats by different routes
| Animal no. | Route of infection | Tissue | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tonsil | Lung | Colon | Jejunum | Liver | Ln mes. | Kidney | CNS | ||
| 081 | Oc‐na* | +++ | ++++ | ++ | + | +++ | ++ | ++ | ++ |
| 114 | Oc‐na* | +++ | ++++ | ++ | + | +++ | ++ | ++ | + |
| 256 | Oc‐na* | ++ | +++ | + | + | ++++ | +++ | +++ | +++ |
| 301 | Oc‐na* | ++++ | ++++ | ++ | ++ | +++ | ++ | ++ | +++ |
| 262 | Ga‐in** | +++ | +++ | ++ | + | +++ | ++ | ++ | + |
| 879 | Ga‐in** | ++ | ++ | ++ | − | +++ | − | ++ | − |
| 800 | i.v.*** | + | +++ | − | − | ++++ | +++ | ++ | ++ |
| 633 | i.v. *** | +++ | ++++ | ++ | ++ | ++++ | +++ | ++ | +++ |
| 117 | Control† | − | − | − | − | − | − | − | − |
| 848 | Control† | − | − | − | − | − | − | − | − |
Animals were euthanized on days 4 and 6 p.i. The rRT‐PCR results are given as: ++++ (Ct values of 10 to <17), +++ (Ct values of 17 to <24), ++ (Ct values of 24 to <31), and + (Ct values of 31 to <38). Average virus isolation titers on MV1Lu cells corresponding to the Ct values clusters +, ++, +++, and ++++ are 102·3, 103·3, 105·0, and 105·2, respectively.
*Oculo‐nasopharyngeal.
**Gastrointestinal.
***Intravenous.
†Uninfected control.