Seroepidemiological and Clinicopathological Study of Feline Coronavirus (FCoV) and Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP), Could Guide to COVID-19 in ‘One Health’ Approach.

Abstract

Feline coronavirus 176 seropositive cats were examined in 2014-2019. Seroepidemiological, serological, clinical, haematological and biochemical data’s were analysed with IBM-SPSS Statistics. Clinicopathological signs were typical with enteric form in 125 cats (71%) and FIPV in 51 cats (29%). Fever, depression, dullness, weight loss, vomitus, growth retardation, diarrhoea, ocular and neurological symptoms were findings. 40 cats (23%) were died, 17 had pleural effusion, 19 had ascites, and 16 Rivalta tests were positive. Post-mortem FIP confirmation was at 8 cats. Amongst FCoV seropositive cats, 22 (12.5%) had FIV antibodies, 7 (3.9%) FLV antigens, 2 (1.1%) positive for FCoV, FIV and FLV and 2 (1.1%) were FmopV RNA positive. FCoV, canine enteric CoV, human CoV-229E and CoV-NL63 belong to Alphacoronavirus, and canine respiratory CoV, Human CoV-OC43, CoV-HKU1, SARS, MERS and COVID-19 belong to Betacoronavirus genus, originated from bat gene pool and cause zoonotic infections. Covid-19 pathogenesis is not fully understood and data’s focused on case fatality rates. Covid-19 was reported as anthropozoonosis infecting cats, dogs, tigers and lions. The panthropism risk should be investigated. In particular, feline coronavirus and COVID-19 pathogenesis is resemblance and both may cause multiple organ-located and persistent infections, including eyes and brain, of varying severity. The obtained data have been evaluated in the 'One Health' approach to better understand the etiology, pathogenesis and clinicopathology of coronavirus infections, and presenting valuable findings to help the control of COVID-19 epidemic. Veterinary medicine will help to multidisciplinary collaboration to develop effective vaccines and drugs with many years of coronavirus experiences.