Now there finally is an answer: Yes, some strains of avian influenza can be passed to ferrets through consumption of infected raw poultry (to respiratory system apparently through tonsils, and to liver and pancreas from intestinal route). I think the question came from a raw feeder UK back then (Chris was it you?), but it has been so long that I am not sure and do not know if the person who asked is on the FHL any longer so will copy the abstract to the FML in case the person is around in either. ***Is the asker here? If so, please, let me know privately. It was a great question!*** BEGIN QUOTE J Infect Dis. 2009 Mar 1;199(5):717-25. Pathogenesis of H5N1 Influenza Virus Infections in Mice and Ferret Models Differs According to Respiratory Tract or Digestive System Exposure. Lipatov AS, Kwon YK, Pantin-Jackwood MJ, Swayne DE. Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Athens, Georgia. Background. Epidemiologic, clinical, and laboratory data suggest that H5N1 influenza viruses are transmitted through and predominantly affect the respiratory system of mammals. Some data suggest digestive system involvement. However, direct evidence of alimentary transmission and infection in mammals is lacking. Methods. Infection with and pathogenesis of 4 H5N1 viruses were assessed in mice and ferrets inoculated intranasally or intragastrically with virus in liquid. In addition, ferrets were fed infected raw chicken meat or minced meat administered into the stomach by gavage with a tube. Results. Only one virus, A/Whooper swan/Mongolia/244/05, was able to infect mice after intragastric inoculation in liquid, whereas no evidence of infection was observed in ferrets after intragastric inoculation. Consumption of infected meat by ferrets resulted in respiratory system infection only (due to A/Muscovy duck/Vietnam/ 209/05 and A/Whooper swan/Mongolia/244/05 viruses) or in both severe respiratory and systemic infection with predominant involvement of the liver, pancreas, and large and small intestine (due to A/Vietnam/ 1203/04 virus). Direct intragastric exposure to infected meat (A/ Vietnam/1203/04 virus) resulted in lethal systemic disease mainly affecting the intestine, liver, and pancreas but not involving the lungs. Conclusions. Our results demonstrated that exposure of the digestive system to H5N1 influenza viruses could initiate infection either through the tonsil, with spread to respiratory tissues, or through intestinal infection, with spread to the liver and pancreas. PMID: 19210164 END QUOTE URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19210164 I guess that just boils down to what Dr. Karen said at the IFC Symposium this year: It is best to know the origin of the animals that are used as food and their health. (She gets from a private farm she visits and checks.) Of course, I suspect that all farms will have to start being more careful if influenza is present after this because it might be a human infection route, too, if handlers of raw are not careful enough. Now, there is a new question, I think: can any strains of avian influenza be passed on or in uncooked eggs? Bill, you will have to decide if this post is okay for the FML. The abstract just appeared in Pub Med between my last check early yesterday morning and now. Sukie (not a vet) Recommended ferret health links: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/ http://ferrethealth.org/archive/ http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/ http://www.ferretcongress.org/ http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html [Posted in FML 6245]