#Italy, Avian #influenza {#H5N1}: a #cat tested positive after being in close contact with backyard #poultry

{Original Article in Italian, edited and translated}

 17/01/2025 13:28

Bologna – In Valsamoggia (Bo) a case of avian influenza was found in a cat. The animal lived in close contact with the poultry of a small family farm where the avian infection had already been identified which had led, as required by law, to the suppression of all the poultry present.

The positivity in the cat was diagnosed by the Forlì branch of the Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna and confirmed by the National Reference Center for Avian Influenza.

“Nothing new and no alarm,” commented Pierluigi Viale , professor of Infectious Diseases at the Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences at the University of Bologna and director of the Infectious Diseases Unit at the Sant’Orsola Polyclinic. 

“The circulation of avian influenza is well known. Cats are already described in scientific literature as animals quite prone to contracting the ‘bird flu’ and there have been several recorded cases of cats dying from avian influenza in the USA, Canada and Europe. But these are mostly stray cats, street cats, that live in rural areas and that can come into contact with infected organic material. A situation that therefore does not concern our domestic cats that live in the city or in apartments.”

Dr. Giovanni Tosi , director of the Zooprofilattico branch in Forlì, confirms that there are avian influenza viruses that can also adapt to mammals (including humans), but the risk of contracting the infection is very low and is linked to close and prolonged contact with infected birds. A situation that therefore does not concern domestic animals that live in the city or in apartments.

Even with regard to food safety, there is no risk associated with the consumption of poultry meat and there is no risk of infection for humans, except in conditions of close contact with infected animals.

Given the exceptional nature of the cases, Community legislation does not provide for specific control measures for cats positive for avian influenza, but for the protection of the animals themselves it is recommended that they be kept isolated under the control of the veterinary service of the ASL which carries out surveillance to evaluate the clinical progress of the disease and follow the course of the infection.

To contain the virus and prevent its spread, the veterinary service of the Bologna Local Health Authority is currently carrying out preliminary tests on blood samples and swabs on another cat that lived with the one that tested positive.

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Source: Emilia-Romagna Region Government, https://notizie.regione.emilia-romagna.it/comunicati/2025/gennaio/sanita-influenza-aviaria-risultato-positivo-un-gatto-a-valsamoggia-bo-viveva-a-stretto-contatto-con-il-pollame-di-un-allevamento-familiare-risultato-infetto-attivato-subito-il-servizio-veterinario-dell2019azienda-usl-per-circoscrivere-e-impedire-la

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