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| Science & Technology |
| Three More Cats |
| 2006-03-06 |
| VIENNA, Austria - Three cats have tested positive for the deadly strain of bird flu in Austria's first reported case of the disease spreading to an animal other than a bird, state authorities said Monday. The sick cats were among 170 living at an animal shelter where the disease was detected in chickens last month, authorities said... |
| Posted by:Anonymoose |
| #5 Yep, the only safe birds to eat will be TYSON brand processed meats from the Clintons' Arkansas - OWG-Safe!? |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2006-03-06 21:34 |
| #4 now hairballs..... |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-03-06 19:34 |
| #3 The point is less cats as direct vectors, than that cats rarely get the influenza. Their immune system is very different from both birds and humans, so if cats can catch the disease, then there is probably a large range of other mammals more closely related to humans that can catch the disease. Just because any species can catch the disease, doesn't also mean that it can easily spread the disease. The virulence can also vary a great deal between different species. However, it should be mentioned that humans are now the most common mammal on the planet, even more common than rats or mice. This means that it is really easy for us to spread a disease among ourselves, and even easier if the disease can be spread with the help of animal vectors that can evade our human quarantines. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2006-03-06 19:32 |
| #2 To my knowledge no one has ever caught flu from a cat, although it wouldn't surprise me if it happens occasionally. However, cats are as likely to start the pandemic as Martians. The constant stream of alarmist news about bird flu spreading in various wild and domestic birds and now domestic animals is just hysteria. The pandemic strain won't arrive in migratory birds it will arrive at international airports. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2006-03-06 19:02 |
| #1 Say, moose, any idea of how many Austrian cats have died of rabies this year? If it's three or more, don't answer -- phil_b will declare a pandemic. |
| Posted by: Darrell 2006-03-06 17:18 |