To assess the pathogenicity of influenza viruses of multiple subtypes following ocular inoculation (i.o.) in ferrets, we administered 10 6 EID 50 of each indicated virus in a volume in 100 ml on the corneal epithelial surface of the right eye of an anesthetized ferret and massaged the inoculum across the surface of the eye with the eyelid (Table 1) . Ferrets were observed daily for two weeks for clinical signs of illness (including fever, weight loss, nasal or ocular discharge). Nasal wash (NW) and rectal swab (RS) samples were collected on alternate days post-inoculation (p.i.) and were titered for infectious virus, while conjunctival wash (CW) samples were collected alternate days p.i. to measure the incidence and kinetics of infectious virus replication and levels of viral RNA from inoculated eyes (Tables 1 and 2 , Figures 1 and 2 ).