Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N6) in Domestic Cats, South Korea

In December 2016, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) infection with systemic pathological lesions was found in cats in South Korea. Genetic analyses indicated that the feline isolates were similar to HPAI H5N6 viruses isolated in chicken farms nearby. This finding highlights the need for monitoring of domestic mammals during HPAI outbreaks.