Bovine and Feline Immunodeficiency Viruses

Abstract

Both bovine immunodeficiency virus (BIV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) are prevalent worldwide and cause clinical diseases in their natural host. The genomic sequences are quite different between BIV and FIV. Both viruses infect lymphocytes and cause disease associated with lymphocyte dysfunction. The severity of the clinical diseases caused by BIV infection in cattle is milder and less consistent than those caused by FIV infection in domestic cats. In addition, FIV-infected cats have major CD4 + T-cell loss like HIV-1-infected humans. Consequently, FIV infection of cats is considered to be an excellent small animal model for HIV-1/AIDS. Commercial BIV vaccine and antiviral drug against BIV are currently unavailable. Thus, prevention and control of BIV infection is dependent on the management practices and policies set by cattle industry. Although commercial antiviral drug against FIV is still unavailable, commercial FIV vaccine was released in USA in 2002 and in Australia and New Zealand in 2005. FIV causes an important disease in domestic pet cats. Since stray are the major reservoir of FIV infection, commercial vaccine should be useful in preventing the spread of FIV infection in pet cat population.