Sea otters can get the flu, too: Human H1N1 pandemic virus infected Washington State sea otters
Wednesday, April 9, 2014 - 07:51
in Biology & Nature
Northern sea otters living off the coast of Washington state were infected with the same H1N1 flu virus that caused the world-wide pandemic in 2009, according to a new study. The researchers discovered antibodies for the 2009 H1N1 flu virus in blood samples from 70 percent of the sea otters studied. None of the otters were visibly sick, but the presence of antibodies means that the otters were previously exposed to influenza.