Abstract
Equine influenza A virus (EIV) is one of the most important pathogens in horses because of its high contagiousness. Like other influenza A viruses, EIV binds to the target cells of the host via interaction between its hemagglutinin and the terminal sialic acid of the cell surface receptor. In 2004 in the United States (US), there was an outbreak of respiratory disorders among dogs caused by the interspecies transmission of EIV. The EIV-derived virus has spread rapidly and has likely become enzootic in dogs in the US. This work reviews current knowledge about the pathogenesis and receptor binding characteristics of the EIV and the EIV-derived virus isolated from a diseased dog in the US.
