Scientists Unsure if Horses Could be Re-infected

Researchers recently identified a highly contagious canine influenza virus strain that is thought to be an adaptation of an equine flu strain, which was transferred from horses to dogs in 2004. It is unclear at this time whether the strain can re-infect horses.

Scientists from the Colleges of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Florida (UF) and Cornell, in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention, published a paper on the topic that appeared Sept. 29 in Science Express online.

The flu strain first surfaced in dogs at a Florida greyhound racetrack in January 2004. Clinical signs of the canine flu virus are similar to the clinical signs caused by the bacterium Bordetella bronchiseptica, which causes kennel cough. Those signs can include coughing that persists for 10-21 days, nasal discharge, and a low-grade fever