Influenza A (H1N1): Human infections from pets are causing concern among pet owners in India

  The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) has issued an advisory to help Indian veterinarians reassure animal owners in the face of the 2009 influenza A (H1N1) pandemic currently sweeping the country. WSAVA is concerned about the risk that thousands of animals may be abandoned out of fear of virus transmission.   More than 30,000 cases of infection with the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus have been reported since the start of the pandemic in India. As of March 15, 1,731 deaths had been recorded, according to the latest figures from the Indian Ministry of Health. And the number of cases continues to rise, particularly in major cities, surpassing the records set in 2009. Furthermore, the influenza A (H1N1) pdm09 influenza virus (incorrectly referred to as “swine flu”) appears to have mutated* in India into an even more virulent strain.   After spreading from pigs to humans, this virus is transmitted primarily through contact between infected people. But according to the latest published studies, it can now infect dogs, cats, and domestic ferrets—and that is precisely the problem. The outbreak is causing concern among animal owners. While some are worried about the risk of their pets becoming infected, many more fear contracting the virus from their pets, even going so far as to consider giving up their pets to protect their families.   In reality, the risk of infection with the 2009 H1N1 virus through pets is extremely low. What concerns the WSAVA is rather the consequences for the animal welfare of thousands of animals if their owners do indeed decide to abandon them. Its advisory statement is therefore intended to assist veterinarians in India—and potentially in other countries—by providing them with the information they need to effectively educate and reassure their clients.   Also known as the Mexican flu, the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic continues to circulate worldwide, spreading wherever conditions are favorable, and has already killed approximately 200,000 people.   * Kannan Tharakaraman et al. Influenza Surveillance: 2014–2015 H1N1 “Swine”-Derived Influenza Viruses from India, 2015, Cell Host & Microbe, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2015.02.019.