Abstract
Feline coronaviruses (FCoVs) are found throughout the world. Infection with FCoV can result in a diverse range of signs from clinically inapparent infections to a highly fatal disease called feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). FIP is one of the most serious viral diseases of cats. While there is neither an effective vaccine, nor a curative treatment for FIP, a diagnostic protocol for FCoV would greatly assist in the management and control of the virus. Clinical findings in FIP are non-specific and not helpful in making a differential diagnosis. Haematological and biochemical abnormalities in FIP cases are also non-specific. The currently available serological tests have low specificity and sensitivity for detection of active infection and cross-react with FCoV strains of low pathogenicity, the feline enteric coronaviruses (FECV). Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) has been used to detect FCoV and is rapid and sensitive, but results must be interpreted in the context of clinical findings. At present, a definitive diagnosis of FIP can be established only by histopathological examination of biopsies. This paper describes and compares diagnostic methods for FCoVs and includes a brief account of the virus biology, epidemiology, and pathogenesis.
Highlights
Feline coronaviruses (FCoVs) are enveloped viruses with a large, capped, polyadenylated RNA genome of about 29,190 nucleotides
An alternative hypothesis is the “circulating virulent/avirulent” theory, which suggests that both virulent and avirulent strains circulate in cat populations, and susceptible individuals exposed to the virulent strains develop the disease. This hypothesis was proposed after sequence analysis of four genes (Pol, S, M and 7b) from FCoV-infected healthy cats and cats with feline infectious peritonitis (FIP)
While moderately elevated levels of acute-phase proteins are found in several inflammatory conditions, high levels of feline α1acid glycoprotein (fAGP) (>1.5 g/L) and serum amyloid A (SAA) in plasma or effusions can indicate FIP and may be useful supportive tests [38,39,40,41]
Summary
Feline coronaviruses (FCoVs) are enveloped viruses with a large, capped, polyadenylated RNA genome of about 29,190 nucleotides. An alternative hypothesis is the “circulating virulent/avirulent” theory, which suggests that both virulent and avirulent strains circulate in cat populations, and susceptible individuals exposed to the virulent strains develop the disease This hypothesis was proposed after sequence analysis of four genes (Pol, S, M and 7b) from FCoV-infected healthy cats and cats with FIP. Complex immune reactions between the virus, antiviral antibodies, and complement cause disseminated vasculitis, which is the hallmark of FIP [14, 15] Based on their antigenic relationship with canine coronavirus, sequence analyses of the S gene, and their growth characteristics in vitro, FCoV strains can be classified into serotypes I and II. About 75%– 100% of cats in multi-cat environments shed the virus [14, 25, 26]
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