The Ferret Model for Influenza

@article{Matsuoka2009TheFM,
  title={The Ferret Model for Influenza},
  author={Yumiko Matsuoka and Elaine W Lamirande and Kanta Subbarao},
  journal={Current Protocols in Microbiology},
  year={2009},
  volume={13}
}
A major challenge in influenza research is the selection of an appropriate animal model that accurately reflects the disease and protective immune response to influenza infection in humans. Ferrets are exquisitely susceptible to infection with human influenza viruses and are widely believed to be the ideal small animal model for influenza research. Mice have also been used for influenza vaccine research for decades. Ferrets are used as an animal model for the study of influenza because they are… 
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92 Citations
Highly Influential Citations
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Background Citations
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Methods Citations
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Results Citations
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92 Citations

Animal Models for Influenza Virus Pathogenesis and Transmission

Animal models of influenza are essential to research efforts aimed at understanding the viral and host factors that contribute to the disease and transmission outcomes of influenza virus infection in humans and allow the pre-clinical testing of antiviral drugs and vaccines aimed at reducing morbidity and mortality in the population through amelioration of the virulence or transmissibility of influenza viruses.

Animal models for influenza virus pathogenesis, transmission, and immunology

Assessment of the ferret as an in vivo model for mumps virus infection.

It is suggested that results to be obtained from ferrets are limited in fundamental in vivo MuV research and that they may not be a suitable animal model for this virus.

Pandemic influenza A H1N1 in Swine and other animals.

  • J. Keenliside
  • Biology, Medicine
    Current topics in microbiology and immunology
  • 2013
Increased surveillance of swine populations for influenza viruses has been suggested as a control measure against the development of future pandemic viruses and future surveillance and reporting policies must include provisions to protect the livelihoods of farmers.

Low Dose Influenza Virus Challenge in the Ferret Leads to Increased Virus Shedding and Greater Sensitivity to Oseltamivir

Low dose challenge gives a disease that more closely parallels the disease parameters of human influenza infection, and provides an improved pre-clinical model for the assessment of influenza therapeutics, and potentially, influenza vaccines.

Modeling human influenza infection in the laboratory

This review will focus on the biosafety, biosecurity, and ethical concerns that must be considered in pursuing influenza research, in addition to focusing on the two animal models – mice and ferrets – most frequently used by researchers as models of human influenza infection.

Non-Mouse-Adapted H1N1pdm09 Virus as a Model for Influenza Research

A/South Africa/3626/2013 (H1N1)pdm09 virus was found to be an appropriate candidate to replace PR8 as a model virus for influenza research and no prior adaptation to the animal model is needed to reach the pathogenicity level of the classical mouse-adapted PR8 virus.

Molecular pathogenesis of influenza in swine and engineering of novel recombinant influenza viruses

These studies have advanced the understanding of molecular basis of pathogenesis of influenza in the swine host and have contributed to the development of improved vaccines and influenza-based vectors with potential applications in both human and veterinary medicine.

The development of vaccine viruses against pandemic A(H1N1) influenza.

The Mouse as Model System to Study Host‐Pathogen Interactions in Influenza A Infections

The basic protocols for infecting mice with influenza virus and studying the main pathological changes associated with disease are provided and critical parameters, e.g., virus variants and subtypes or mouse strains, are discussed.
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