Transmission of canine influenza virus (H3N8) among susceptible dogs

Canine influenza virus (CIV) is an emerging pathogen that causes acute respiratory disease in dogs. As with any communicable disease, dog-to-dog transmission of CIV occurs when infected dogs come in contact with other susceptible dogs. We demonstrate that CIV transmission occurs readily from CIV-infected dogs to susceptible dogs following comingling. Four experimentally infected dogs were co-mingled with a group of eight CIV-negative dogs at 1 day post-infection and both groups were observed for CIV-associated respiratory disease. The onset of clinical signs, virus shedding, seroconversion, and appearance of lung lesions were observed earlier in experimentally infected dogs; however, the severity of the clinical signs and lung lesions were very similar in both groups. One hundred percent of the experimentally infected dogs and 75% of the contact-exposed dogs excreted virus in their nasal secretions. Additionally, 100% of experimentally infected dogs and 75% of the contact-exposed dogs exhibited varying degrees of pneumonia. Our study results demonstrate that CIV spreads readily from infected dogs to other susceptible dogs through direct contact. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.