Multi-cat Environments Research Articles

Calicivirus Infection in Cats.

Feline calicivirus (FCV) is a common pathogen in domestic cats that is highly contagious, resistant to many disinfectants and demonstrates a high genetic variability. FCV infection can lead to serious or even fatal diseases. In this review, the European Advisory Board on Cat Diseases (ABCD), a scientifically independent board of experts in feline medicine from 11 European countries, presents the current knowledge of FCV infection and fills gaps with expert opinions. FCV infections are particularly problematic in multicat environments. FCV-infected cats often show painful erosions in the mouth and mild upper respiratory disease and, particularly in kittens, even fatal pneumonia. However, infection can be associated with chronic gingivostomatitis. Rarely, highly virulent FCV variants can induce severe systemic disease with epizootic spread and high mortality. FCV can best be detected by reverse-transcriptase PCR. However, a negative result does not rule out FCV infection and healthy cats can test positive. All cats should be vaccinated against FCV (core vaccine); however, vaccination protects cats from disease but not from infection. Considering the high variability of FCV, changing to different vaccine strain(s) may be of benefit if disease occurs in fully vaccinated cats. Infection-induced immunity is not life-long and does not protect against all strains; therefore, vaccination of cats that have recovered from caliciviral disease is recommended.

Role of Feline Coronavirus as Contributor to Diarrhea in Cats from Breeding Catteries.

(1) Background: Feline coronavirus infection (FCoV) is common in multi-cat environments. A role of FCoV in causing diarrhea is often assumed, but has not been proven. The aim of this study was to evaluate an association of FCoV infection with diarrhea in multi-cat environments. (2) Methods: The study included 234 cats from 37 catteries. Fecal samples were analyzed for FCoV RNA by reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Potential co-infections were determined by applying a qPCR panel on different potential enteropathogens and fecal flotation. A fecal scoring system was used to categorize feces as diarrheic or non-diarrheic. (3) Results: Of the 234 cats included, 23 had diarrhea. The prevalence of FCoV infection was 87.0% in cats with and 58.8% in cats without diarrhea. FCoV infection was significantly associated with diarrhea (Odds Ratio (OR) 5.01; p = 0.008). In addition, presence of Clostridium perfringens α toxin (OR 6.93; p = 0.032) and feline panleukopenia virus (OR 13.74; p = 0.004) were associated with an increased risk of diarrhea. There was no correlation between FCoV load and fecal score. FCoV-positive cats with co-infections were not more likely to have diarrhea than FCoV-positive cats without co-infections (p = 0.455). (4) Conclusions: FCoV infection is common in cats from catteries and can be associated with diarrhea.

Canine parvovirus is shed infrequently by cats without diarrhoea in multi-cat environments

Whether subclinical shedding of canine parvovirus (CPV) by cats might contribute to the epidemiology of canine CPV infections, particularly in facilities housing both cats and dogs, requires clarification. Conflicting results are reported to date. Using conventional PCR (cPCR) to amplify the VP2 gene, shedding of the CPV variants (CPV-2a, 2b, 2c) by healthy cats in multi-cat environments was reportedly common in Europe but rare in Australia. The aim of this study was to determine whether low-level faecal CPV shedding occurs in multi-cat environments in Australia and Italy using a TaqMan real-time PCR to detect Carnivore protoparvovirus 1 (CPV and feline parvovirus, FPV) DNA, and minor-groove binder probe real-time PCR assay to differentiate FPV and CPV types and to characterize CPV variants. In total, 741 non-diarrhoeic faecal samples from shelters in Australia (n = 263) and from shelters or cat colonies in Italy (n = 478) were tested. Overall, Carnivore protoparvovirus 1 DNA was detected in 49 of 741 (6.61 %) samples. Differentiation was possible for 31 positive samples. FPV was most common among positive samples (28/31, 90.3 %). CPV was detected in 4/31 samples (12.9 %) including CPV-2a in one sample, CPV-2b in another and co-infections of FPV/CPV-2b and CPV-2a/CPV-2b in the remaining two samples. A high rate of subclinical FPV infection was detected in one shelter during an outbreak of feline panleukopenia, during which 21 of 22 asymptomatic cats (95.5 %) sampled were shedding FPV. Faecal shedding of CPV by cats in multi-cat environments is uncommon suggesting that domestic cats are not significant reservoirs of CPV.

Correlation of Feline Coronavirus Shedding in Feces with Coronavirus Antibody Titer.

Background: Feline coronavirus (FCoV) infection is ubiquitous in multi-cat households. Responsible for the continuous presence are cats that are chronically shedding a high load of FCoV. The aim of the study was to determine a possible correlation between FCoV antibody titer and frequency and load of fecal FCoV shedding in cats from catteries. Methods: Four fecal samples from each of 82 cats originating from 19 German catteries were examined for FCoV viral loads by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Additionally, antibody titers were determined by an immunofluorescence assay. Results: Cats with antibodies were more likely to be FCoV shedders than non-shedders, and there was a weak positive correlation between antibody titer and mean fecal virus load (Spearman r = 0.2984; p = 0.0072). Antibody titers were significantly higher if cats shed FCoV more frequently throughout the study period (p = 0.0063). When analyzing only FCoV shedders, cats that were RT-qPCR-positive in all four samples had significantly higher antibody titers (p = 0.0014) and significantly higher mean fecal virus loads (p = 0.0475) than cats that were RT-qPCR-positive in only one, two, or three samples. Conclusions: The cats’ antibody titers correlate with the likelihood and frequency of FCoV shedding and fecal virus load. Chronic shedders have higher antibody titers and shed more virus. This knowledge is important for the management of FCoV infections in multi-cat environments, but the results indicate that antibody measurement cannot replace fecal RT-qPCR.

Impact of way of life and environment on the prevalence of Chlamydia felis in cats as potentional sources of infection for humans.

Chlamydia (C.) felis can cause infection which may be associated with conjunctivitis and/or respiratory tract disease, particularly in kittens, but could also be the cause of the disease in adult cats. Infection is more common in multi-cat environments. The zoonotic potential of C. felis appears low, but exposure to this microorganism is possible by handling the affected cats, by contact with their aerosol, and also via fomites. In the study, 140 cats of various breeds from Košice region in Slovakia were studied. Conjunctival samples were obtained from 71 clinically healthy cats (50.7%) and 69 cats with clinical signs of conjunctivitis and upper respiratory tract impairment (49.3%). Cats were divided into 4 groups according to breed and type of environment in which they lived. In the 1st group were cats kept inside only (n=33), in the 2nd group, free-roaming cats (n=50), the 3rd group comprised stray cats, taken from the streets (n=28), and the 4th group included cats kept in shelters or deposit devices (n=29). Molecular method PCR and DNA sequencing was used as the diagnostic method. Overall positivity was 17.1%. Of the 24 positive cats, the highest positivity was detected in the population of stray cats (35.7%) and shelter cats (31%). In the group of free-roaming cats, 10% had positivity. No positive animals were detected in the group of cats kept inside only. It was also found that the risk of C. felis in cats with clinical signs of disease was more than 7-fold higher than in cats without clinical signs of conjunctivitis and respiratory tract. The obtained results show that cats, especially stray and shelter cats, can be important sources of feline chlamydiosis, and due to their close contact with people they can present a risk for transmission.

Detection of natural occurrence of Tritrichomonas foetus in cats in Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil

ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of Tritrichomonas foetus in cats in the area surrounding the city of Araçatuba municipality, State of São Paulo, Brazil. Fecal samples from 129 cats were collected by rectal flush technique. It was compared two diagnosis methods, direct examination of feces and PCR. The presence of T. foetus DNA was verified using PCR by amplification of 347-bp fragment from the primers TFR3 and TFR4 and amplicons of positive cases were sequenced. Statistical analyses were performed investigating the associations between T. foetus infection with gender, age, breed, presence of diarrhea and/or history of diarrhea, previous treatment, lifestyle, origin, environment, and co-infection. T. foetus was observed in one sample (n=129) by direct microscopic examination of feces while PCR was positive in five samples (3.9%). Giardia species and Cryptosporidium species co-infection was also observed. Statistical analyses showed no significant associations between T. foetus infection and all listed factors, although most positive cats were asymptomatic and lived in multi-cat household. The isolates of T. foetus showed 100% identical sequences with other T. foetus isolates from cats around the world. So, the occurrence of T. foetus was confirmed in cats in Araçatuba city (Brazil). This parasite must be considered as a differential diagnosis in cats with diarrhea and also in asymptomatic carriers as source of infection in multi-cat environments.

Mutation of the <i>S</i> and <i>3c</i> genes in genomes of feline coronaviruses

Feline coronavirus (FCoV) is classified into two biotypes based on its pathogenicity in cats: a feline enteric coronavirus of low pathogenicity and a highly virulent feline infectious peritonitis virus. It has been suspected that FCoV alters its biotype via mutations in the viral genome. The S and 3c genes of FCoV have been considered the candidates for viral pathogenicity conversion. In the present study, FCoVs were analyzed for the frequency and location of mutations in the S and 3c genes from faecal samples of cats in an animal shelter and the faeces, effusions, and tissues of cats that were referred to veterinary hospitals. Our results indicated that approximately 95% FCoVs in faeces did not carry mutations in the two genes. However, 80% FCoVs in effusion samples exhibited mutations in the S and 3c genes with remainder displaying a mutation in the S or 3c gene. It was also suggested that mutational analysis of the 3c gene could be useful for studying the horizontal transmission of FCoVs in multi-cat environments.

Expression profiles of immune mediators in feline Coronavirus-infected cells and clinical samples of feline Coronavirus-positive cats

BackgroundThere are two biotypes of feline coronavirus (FCoV): the self-limiting feline enteric coronavirus (FECV) and the feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV), which causes feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), a fatal disease associated with cats living in multi-cat environments. This study provides an insight on the various immune mediators detected in FCoV-positive cats which may be responsible for the development of FIP.ResultsIn this study, using real-time PCR and multiplex bead-based immunoassay, the expression profiles of several immune mediators were examined in Crandell-Reese feline kidney (CRFK) cells infected with the feline coronavirus (FCoV) strain FIPV 79–1146 and in samples obtained from FCoV-positive cats. CRFK cells infected with FIPV 79–1146 showed an increase in the expression of interferon-related genes and pro-inflammatory cytokines such as MX1, viperin, CXCL10, CCL8, RANTES, KC, MCP1, and IL8. In addition, an increase in the expression of the above cytokines as well as GM-CSF and IFNγ was also detected in the PBMC, serum, and peritoneal effusions of FCoV-positive cats. Although the expression of MX1 and viperin genes was variable between cats, the expression of these two genes was relatively higher in cats having peritoneal effusion compared to cats without clinically obvious effusion. Higher viral load was also detected in the supernatant of peritoneal effusions compared to in the plasma of FCoV-positive cats. As expected, the secretion of IL1β, IL6 and TNFα was readily detected in the supernatant of peritoneal effusions of the FCoV-positive cats.ConclusionsThis study has identified various pro-inflammatory cytokines and interferon-related genes such as MX1, viperin, CXCL10, CCL8, RANTES, KC, MCP1, IL8, GM-CSF and IFNγ in FCoV-positive cats. With the exception of MX1 and viperin, no distinct pattern of immune mediators was observed that distinguished between FCoV-positive cats with and without peritoneal effusion. Further studies based on definitive diagnosis of FIP need to be performed to confirm the clinical importance of this study.

Polyprenyl Immunostimulant in Feline Rhinotracheitis: Randomized Placebo-Controlled Experimental and Field Safety Studies.

Feline rhinotracheitis is a ubiquitous disease caused by feline herpesvirus type 1 (FHV-1). The disease is easily transmissible and common in multi-cat environments where even vaccinated cats can develop clinical signs of respiratory or ocular disease or both when exposed to the virus. Prior to the work reported here, there was no licensed treatment for the disease on the market. We hypothesized that polyprenyl immunostimulant (PI), an immunomodulatory veterinary biologic, would be useful in treating feline rhinotracheitis by reducing the severity of respiratory or/and ocular disease. We conducted double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials in experimentally infected cats to establish the efficacy of PI. Specific pathogen-free cats were administered a placebo (n = 20) or PI (n = 20) starting on the day of FHV-1 experimental challenge. Trained, masked observers applied a standardized scoring system daily in clinical examinations for 14 days after the FHV-1 challenge. The cats treated with PI had significantly lower disease severity scores over the course of the experiment compared to the cats in the placebo group (p = 0.05). The safety studies, including a field safety study involving 390 owned cats in 10 states, showed that PI was safe to use in cats as young as 8 weeks of age.

Reverse transcriptase loop-mediated isothermal amplification for the detection of feline coronavirus

The Feline coronavirus (FCoV) is the etiological agent of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), a lethal disease of felids. The role of molecular methods is controversial for the diagnosis of FIP, while essential for the identification of the shedders. Thus, a fast and inexpensive method for the detection of FCoV could be beneficial, especially in multicat environments. A reverse transcription loop mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay was developed. RNA extraction and RT-nPCR for FCoV were performed on thirty-two samples (11 faeces, 9 blood, 8 effusions, and 4 lymph nodes) collected from 27 cats. Six RT-LAMP primers were designed from the same conserved region of RT-nPCR, and the assay was run at 63°C for one hour. Results were evaluated through both agarose gel run and hydroxynapthol blue (HNB) dye and then compared with RT-nPCR results for the assessment of sensitivity and specificity. The overall specificity was 100%, but the sensitivity was 50% and 54.5% for agarose gel and HNB respectively. Therefore, RT-LAMP seems optimal to confirm the presence of the virus, but not applicable to exclude it.

Tritrichomonas foetus infection in cats with diarrhea from densely housed origins

Tritrichomonas foetus is a protozoan parasite that has been recently identified as a causative agent of chronic diarrhea in domestic cats. Transmission of infection occurs by the fecal-oral route through direct contact among animals. Consequently, feline trichomonosis (FT) is more likely to be present in multi-cat environments. The objective of this work was to study the presence of T. foetus and some associated risk factors in cats from densely housed origins and with a reported history of chronic diarrhea. Animals enrolled in this study were family cats (n=15) acquired from pet shops, shelters or breeding centers and cattery cats belonging to one breeding center (n=28) and two cat shelters (A and B, n=25 each). In the catteries, a follow-up analysis for a period of up to 2 months was also performed to determine the parasite shedding pattern in feces and the incidence of infection. Fecal samples were analyzed using in vitro culture and a PCR technique. T. foetus was detected in a total of 38.7% (36/93) of the cats with chronic diarrhea. Parasite infection was similarly detected in family cats and cattery animals (40% versus 38.4%). In the catteries, the parasite was detected in 50%, 44% and 20% of the animals from the breeding center and shelters A and B, respectively. The follow-up analysis showed that 58.3% of infected cats intermittently shed trophozoites in their feces, with an incidence of 23.1%. Investigation of potential risk factors showed that cats ≤1 year old were more likely to be infected than older cats (57.1% versus 27.3%; P<0.05). No significant differences were found when sex and breed factors were studied. These results confirm the importance of FT as a cause of chronic diarrhea in cats and highlight the relevance of close contact conditions for T. foetus transmission.

Feline calicivirus and other respiratory pathogens in cats with Feline calicivirus-related symptoms and in clinically healthy cats in Switzerland.

BackgroundCats with feline calicivirus (FCV)-related symptoms are commonly presented to veterinary practitioners. Various clinical manifestations have been attributed to FCV, i.e. upper respiratory tract disease (URTD), oral ulcerations, gingivostomatitis, limping syndrome and virulent systemic disease. Additionally, healthy cats can shed FCV. The aims of this study were 1) to investigate the frequency of FCV in cats with FCV-related symptoms and in healthy cats in Switzerland, 2) to assess risk and protective factors for infection, such as signalment, housing conditions, vaccination, and co-infection with URTD-associated pathogens, and 3) to address the association between clinical symptoms and FCV infection.ResultsOropharyngeal, nasal and conjunctival swabs were collected in 24 veterinary practices from 200 FCV-suspect and 100 healthy cats originating from 19 cantons of Switzerland. The samples were tested for FCV using virus isolation and reverse-transcription real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and for feline herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1), Mycoplasma felis, Chlamydophila felis, Bordetella bronchiseptica using real-time qPCR. Within the two populations (FCV-suspect/healthy), the observed PCR prevalences were: FCV 45 %/8 %, FHV-1 20 %/9 %, C. felis 8 %/1 %, B. bronchiseptica 4 %/2 %, M. felis 47 %/31 % and any co-infections thereof 40 %/14 %. Based on multivariable regression models amongst FCV-suspect cats (odds ratio [95 % confidence interval]), co-infection with M. felis (1.75 [0.97; 3.14]), group housing (2.11 [1.02; 4.34]) and intact reproductive status (1.80 [0.99; 3.28]) were found to be risk factors for FCV infection. In healthy cats, intact reproductive status (22.2 [1.85; 266.7]) and group housing (46.4 [5.70; 377.7]) were found to be associated with FCV infection. Based on an univariable approach, FCV-suspect cats were found to be significantly less often FCV-positive when vaccinated (0.48 [0.24; 0.94]). Oral ulcerations, salivation, gingivitis and stomatitis, but not classical signs of URTD were significantly associated with FCV infection (all p < 0.001).ConclusionsFCV was detected in less than half of the cats that were judged FCV-suspect by veterinary practitioners. For a clinical diagnosis, FCV-related symptoms should be revisited. FCV infection was present in some healthy cats, underlining the importance of asymptomatic carriers in FCV epidemiology. To reduce FCV-related problems in multi-cat environments, reduction of group size in addition to the generally recommended vaccination are advocated.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12917-015-0595-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Total oxidant and antioxidant capacities, nitric oxide and malondialdehyde levels in cats seropositive for the feline coronavirus

Feline coronavirus (FCoV) is a highly contagious virus that is ubiquitous in multicat environments and may induce oxidative stress. This virus commonly causes an asymptomatic infection, which can persist in certain individuals. Sporadically and unpredictably, FCoV infection leads to feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), a highly fatal systemic immune-mediated disease. There are no data in the veterinary literature relating to oxidative stress in FCoV. Antioxidant capacity (TAC) can be attributed to single components in the defence systems against free radicals. The measurement of the total oxidant status (TOS) accurately reflects the oxidative status of blood plasma or serum. Nitric oxide (NO) acts as a free radical and contributes to host defences against oxidation. Malondialdehyde (MDA) is a reliable and commonly used marker of overall lipid peroxidation levels and the presence of oxidative stress. This study aimed to determine levels of oxidative stress markers, serum TAC, total oxidant capacity (TOC), NO and serum MDA in 24 cats seropositive for FCoVs and 15 cats seronegative for FCoVs. Significantly higher serum TOC, NO and MDA levels were found in seropositive animals (P < 0.001, P < 0.05 and P < 0.001, respectively) than in seronegative animals. In contrast, serum TAC levels were found to be significantly lower in seropositive cats compared with seronegative cats (P < 0.001). The results of the present study suggest that FCoV seropositivity is associated with oxidative stress and decreased antioxidant status.

Virulent feline calicivirus disease in a shelter in italy: A case description

Feline calicivirus (FCV) is a common pathogen of cats that is particularly widespread in multi-cat environments such as shelters and catteries. FCV infections are usually associated with acute, mild and self-limiting upper respiratory tract disease characterized by oral vesicles/ulcers. Recently, virulent systemic disease (VSD) associated with FCV infection has been reported in the USA and Europe. This paper describes a case of VSD affecting one adult, FIV infected cat (“Oscar”) living in a shelter located in Northern Italy; the clinical, post-mortem and laboratory findings indicate that this is the first case of suspected FCV-VSD in this country. Similar to a previous report (Meyer et al., 2011), the disease affected only one cat, while others remained asymptomatic, despite their direct contact with “Oscar”. Phylogenetic analysis identified unique features in the “Oscar” FCV isolate. The FIV infection of the patient might have favoured the generation of the virulent FCV strains in this cat.

Antibody detection of feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV) in sera of companion cats in Ahvaz, south west of Iran

Feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV) is ubiquitous in domestic cats, especially in young cats and multi-cat environments. In the present study, a total of 248 companion cats of different ages were examined for serum antibody detection of FIPV by immunochromatography assay. The cats were selected from those referring to Veterinary Hospital of Ahvaz University, southwestern Iran from December 2006 to June 2009. Classification was made by age, sex, breed, region and season. The studied cats were divided based on age into three groups ( 3 years) and based on area into five regions (north, east, west, south and central). The results were analyzed by using Chi-square analysis and Fischer's exact test. Seventeen of 248 serum samples (6.85%) had antibody against feline infectious peritonitis virus. Prevalence was significantly higher in young kittens less than 6 months (9.72%; 7 out of 72) and mean-age cats 6 months – 3 years (9.28%; 9 out of 97) compared with above 3 years (1.27%; 1 out of 79) (P0.05). It is necessary to control cat population in these area particular young cats to reduce risk of infection transmission between them.

Prevalence of feline coronavirus antibodies in cats in Bursa province, Turkey, by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

Feline sera from Bursa province (Turkey) were assayed for coronavirus antibody using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The study was performed on 100 sera collected from cats belonging to catteries or community shelters and to households. The serum samples were initially tested with the virus neutralisation (VN) test and the results were then compared with the ELISA. The VN yielded 79 negative and 21 positive sera but the ELISA confirmed only 74 as negative. The ELISA-negative sera were also found to be free of feline coronoviruses-specific antibodies by Western blotting. Using the VN as the gold standard test, ELISA had a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 93.6%, with an overall agreement of 95%. The Kappa (κ) test indicated high association between the two tests (κ = 0.86, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.743–0.980). The positive predictive value (PPV) was 0.8, and the negative predictive value (NPV) was 0.93. The prevalence of FCoV II antibodies in the sampled population based on the gold standard was 62% (95% CI 0.44–0.77) among multi-cat environments, and 4% (95% CI 0.01–0.11) among single cat households.

Feline Infectious Peritonitis: ABCD Guidelines on Prevention and Management

OverviewFeline coronavirus infection is ubiquitous in domestic cats, and is particularly common where conditions are crowded. While most FCoV-infected cats are healthy or display only a mild enteritis, some go on to develop feline infectious peritonitis, a disease that is especially common in young cats and multi-cat environments. Up to 12% of FCoV-infected cats may succumb to FIP, with stress predisposing to the development of disease.Disease signsThe ‘wet’ or effusive form, characterised by polyserositis (abdominal and/or thoracic effusion) and vasculitis, and the ‘dry’ or non-effusive form (pyogranulomatous lesions in organs) reflect clinical extremes of a continuum. The clinical picture of FIP is highly variable, depending on the distribution of the vasculitis and pyogranulomatous lesions. Fever refractory to antibiotics, lethargy, anorexia and weight loss are common non-specific signs. Ascites is the most obvious manifestation of the effusive form.DiagnosisThe aetiological diagnosis of FIP ante-mortem may be difficult, if not impossible. The background of the cat, its history, the clinical signs, laboratory changes, antibody titres and effusion analysis should all be used to help in decision-making about further diagnostic procedures. At the time of writing, there is no non-invasive confirmatory test available for cats without effusion.Disease managementIn most cases FIP is fatal. Supportive treatment is aimed at suppressing the inflammatory and detrimental immune response. However, there are no controlled studies to prove any beneficial effect of corticosteroids.Vaccination recommendationsAt present, only one (intranasal) FIP vaccine is available, which is considered as being non-core. Kittens may profit from vaccination when they have not been exposed to FCoV (eg, in an early-weaning programme), particularly if they enter a FCoV-endemic environment.

Laboratory changes consistent with feline infectious peritonitis in cats from multicat environments.

SummaryThe present study describes the prevalence of haematological and electrophoretic changes consistent with the diagnosis of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) in cats without FIP living in six multicat environments with different prevalence of FIP and of other diseases. The results allow designing haematological and electrophoretic profiles typical of each group, most likely depending on the management and on the health status of the group rather than on the prevalence of FIP. In fact, many cats from the colonies with open management and frequent outbreaks of infectious diseases other than FIP had one or more haematological and/or electrophoretical changes consistent with FIP, compared with the reference ranges. In the case of non‐specific clinical signs such as fever or neurological signs because of diseases other than FIP, these cats would be erroneously considered as affected by FIP and euthanasized. The use of internal ranges designed on the basis of repeated samplings from non‐symptomatic cats allows avoiding these misinterpretations. Results from cats with symptoms consistent with FIP living in the same colonies were also compared with both the reference ranges and the internal ones: such a comparison demonstrated that the use of internal ranges rarely affected the possibility to correctly diagnose the disease in cats with symptoms suggestive of FIP.

Feline infectious upper respiratory tract disease - an update

DESPITE the widespread availability of 'cat flu' vaccines, feline upper respiratory tract disease remains a problem, especially in multicat environments. Although rarely fatal, infectious respiratory disease can leave cats with...

Feline Leukemia Virus: Immunization and Prevention

Our understanding of the pathogenesis of FeLV infection is little changed from what was described by Hardy and his colleagues in the mid-1970s. The prevention of FeLV infection consists, first, of avoiding the agent and, second, of providing optimum immunologic resistance. In multi-cat environments, the former is achieved through test-and-removal methods perennially reviewed in the literature and by minimizing exposure to outdoor cats. The latter is possible by attempting to maintain a low-stress, pathogen-free household and by the use of appropriate, effective immunization programs. Simple immunologic concepts used for the development of vaccines against feline distemper and rabies have evolved to enable generation of products that can now protect against retroviruses. The use of more complex biologic methods, such as recombinant technology and the manipulation of antigen presentation, bears encouragement, so that perhaps one day the most destructive of feline infectious diseases may be checked.