Technologies

According to the Centers for Disease Control, a canine influenza A H3N2 virus caused an outbreak of dog flu reported in the Chicago area in 2015 that has since spread across 25 states. Research by the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (WVDL) suggests the same strain is now responsible for a 2016 outbreak among cats in an animal shelter.

In both felines and canines, influenza is a contagious respiratory disease that can spread rapidly in shelters and kennels. Symptoms range from mild (e.g., runny nose, cough) to severe, and sometimes can be fatal.

An H3N2 vaccine is now available for dogs, but no vaccine is currently approved or recommended for cats. Researchers from the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory have isolated H3N2 influenza virus from felines infected during the 2016 outbreak. Characterization and sequencing efforts are ongoing.

The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) is seeking commercial partners interested in isolated H3N2 influenza virus that caused an outbreak in canines in 2015 and appears to have spread to cats.