Date: Tue 11 Sep 2012
Source: CIDRAP (Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy) News [summ., edited]
http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/influenza/swineflu/news/sep1112ferrets.html
Ferret study underlines persistent threat of swine flu viruses
--------------------------------------------------------------
A Korean-US research team has identified an H1N2 strain of swine influenza capable of killing ferrets and spreading among them by respiratory droplets, underlining the continuing threat of swine flu to humans amid a wave of swine-origin flu cases in Americans exposed to pigs at agricultural fairs. The researchers exposed groups of ferrets, which are considered the best animal models for human flu, to 4 swine flu viruses isolated in Korea -- 2 H1N2 and 2 H3N2. One of the H1N2 isolates caused severe or fatal illness in the animals and spread to other ferrets housed nearby without direct contact, according to the
