Robustness of the Ferret Model for Influenza Risk Assessment Studies: a Cross-Laboratory Exercise
Jessica A. Belser, Eric H. Y. Lau, William Barclay, Ian Barr, Hualan Chen, Ron A. M. Fouchier, Masato Hatta, Sander Herfst, Yoshihiro Kawaoka, Seema S. Lakdawala, Leo Lee, Gabriele Neumann, Malik Peiris, Daniel R. Pérez, Charles J. Russell, Kanta Subbarao, Troy C. Sutton, Richard J. Webby, Huanliang Yang, Hui‐Ling Yen, Working group on the standardization of the ferret model for influenza risk assessment, Elisabeth G. Blanchard, Taronna R. Maines, Ka-Tim Choy, Sin Fun Sia, Wen Su, Rebecca Frise, Jie Zhou, Aeron C. Hurt, Chengjun Li, Theo M. Bestebroer, Dennis de Meulder, Pascal Lexmond, S. Chiba, Amar R. Bhagwat, Jennifer E. Jones, Karen A. Kormuth, Valarie Le Sage, C. Joaquín Cáceres, Silvia Carnaccini, Lucas M. Ferreri, Ginger Geiger, Jennifer DeBeauchamp, Meng Hu, Trushar Jeevan, Lisa Kercher, Devanshi R. Patel, Kayla M. Septer, Derek G. Sim
Abstract
Following detection of a novel virus, rapid characterization efforts (both in vitro and in vivo ) are undertaken at numerous laboratories worldwide to evaluate the relative risk posed to human health. Aggregation of these data are critical, but the use of nonstandardized protocols can make interpretation of divergent results a challenge.