Abstract
An adenovirus (AdV) has been isolated from the rectal swab of a domestic cat (Felis catus) and named feline adenovirus (FeAdV) isolate. It replicates and causes cytopathological effects in many human, feline, other mammalian cell lines that have both Coxsackie-adenovirus-receptor and integrins. Its antigens cross-react with anti-human adenovirus antibodies in immunofluorescence and immunocytochemistry assays. Electron microscopy revealed typical extracellular icosahedral particles and pseudo arrays inside cells. Sequence analysis of hexon and fiber genes indicates that this virus might belong to human adenovirus (HAdV) C species and might be a variant of type 1. In the fiber protein, three altered amino acids occur in the shaft; four altered residues are found in the knob region as compared to a European HAdV might be type 1 isolate (strain 1038, D11). One alteration affects amino acid 442 forming an RGS motif in an alanine rich region that might be an alternative way to bind integrins with subsequent internalization. Substitutions in the hexon sequence are silent. As compared to published HAdV sequences, the fiber is related to the original American prototype and recently described Taiwanese HAdV 1 isolates, but the hexon sequences are related to adenovirus isolates from France, Germany, Japan, and Taiwan. Serology carried out on FeAdV infected M426 cells indicates a prevalence of IgG in 80% of domestic cats in Delaware, United States. FeAdV isolate seems to be a recently recognized virus with possible pathogenic effects and, simultaneous human and feline infections are possible. Further molecular and biological characterization of this feline adenovirus isolate, as well as studies on both human and feline epidemiology and pathomechanisms, especially in endangered big cats, are warranted. FeAdV might have further practical advantages. Namely, it could be utilized in both human and feline AIDS research, developed into diagnostic tools, and gene therapy vectors in the near future.
Highlights
Adenoviruses (AdV) are important, widespread [almost 100% of humans have circulating antibodies against the common human adenovirus (HAdV) types/see refs in Stercz et al, 2013], and occasionally fatal pathogens in humans, as well as wild and domestic animals
AIDS model, first, we studied field cats for possible natural infection
Pharyngeal and rectal swabs were taken from a cat seropositive and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) positive for AdV (Lakatos et al, 1999), and immersed in 2 mL RPMI-1640 with 10% heat-inactivated fetal bovine serum (FBS) and 50 μg/mL gentamicin
Summary
Adenoviruses (AdV) are important, widespread [almost 100% of humans have circulating antibodies against the common human adenovirus (HAdV) types/see refs in Stercz et al, 2013], and occasionally fatal pathogens in humans, as well as wild and domestic animals. Sera obtained from several male and female random domestic cats brought to the Selbyville Animal Hospital in Delaware United States were tested at a 1:20 dilution by IFA using the highly permissive M426 human cell line infected with FeAdV to assess the distribution of IgG antibody.
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