LONDON, June 13 (UPI) -- A British scientist says cats might play a key role in the spread of the avian flu virus.
Professor Jeffrey Waage of Imperial College London -- a member of Britain's Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs -- has issued a review of the science underpinning the government's avian flu contingency plans, the London Telegraph reported Tuesday.
"The ability of mammals to contract and transmit the avian influenza virus has important human health implications," wrote Waage. "We know about cats as a potential host for avian influenza because of the extensive infection of cats in Asia in outbreaks there."
Waage calls for more research into exposure to the virus by feral cats, farm cats and household pets and the associated risk of transmission to poultry.
Professor Andrew Easton of the University of Warwick told The Telegraph culling cats is not an option and a vaccine is not yet available, so it's important to prevent the animals from coming into contact with infection.
Scientists say cats can contract the virus through contact with domestic and wild birds and excrete the virus from their respiratory and digestive tracts.
