More Cheetahs Found Ill Following Confirmed H1N1 Virus Infection

The American Veterinary Medical Association has announced new details about the health of cheetahs at the Safari West wildlife preserve in Santa Rosa, California. Following the initial report of a cheetah with swine flu, it now turns out that three more animals are infected with the virus.

Cheetahs (photo by Gary M. Stolz, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

The first cheetah showed symptoms of respiratory illness on November 15th; these included lethargy, loss of appetite, a runny nose, and coughing. 6 days later, similar symptoms appeared in a second animal. On days 9 and 11, a third and fourth cheetah fell ill. The last two cheetahs showed signs of a more severe respiratory infection. Nasal swabs from one of them tested positive for the H1N1 virus.

All four cheetahs recovered within 5–16 days of the onset of symptoms.

Based on materials from Examiner.com.