Virus replication and pulmonary disease pathogenesis in ferrets following intranasal infection with a pandemic influenza strain (A/California/4/09; CA09), a human seasonal influenza H1N1 isolate (A/New Caledonia/20/99; Ncal99), a classical swine influenza H1N1 isolate (A/Swine/Iowa/15/30; Sw30), or an avian H1N1 isolate (A/Mallard/MN/A108-2355/08; Mal08) were compared. Nasal wash virus titers were similar for Ncal99 and Sw30 with peak virus titers of 10(5.1) TCID(50)/ml and 10(5.5) TCID(50)/ml occurring at day 3 post-infection (pi), respectively. The mean peak titer for CA09 also occurred at day 3 pi but was higher (10(7) TCID(50)/ml). In contrast, the peak virus titers (10(3.6) to 10(4.3) TCID(50)/ml) for Mal08 were delayed, occurring between days 5 and 7 pi. Disease pathogenesis was characterized by microscopic lesions in the nasal turbinates and lungs of all ferrets; however, Sw30 infection was associated with severe bronchointerstitial pneumonia. The results demonstrate that although CA09 is highly transmissible in the human population and replicates well in the ferret model, it causes modest disease when compared to other H1N1 viruses, particularly Sw30 infection.