National Institute of Animal Health, 3-1-5 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. yyu@affrc.go.jp
We examined feathers of domestic ducks and geese inoculated with 2 different avian influenza virus (H5N1) genotypes. Together with virus isolation from the skin, the detection of viral antigens and ultrastructural observation of the virions in the feather epidermis raise the possibility of feathers as sources of infection.