Diane Addie

Feline Herpesvirus Infection: ABCD Guidelines on Prevention and Management:

Overview Feline viral rhinotracheitis, caused by feline herpesvirus (FHV), is an upper respiratory tract disease that is often associated with feline calicivirus and bacteria. In most cats, FHV remains latent after recovery, and they become lifelong virus carriers. Stress or corticosteroid treatment may lead to virus reactivation and shedding in oronasal and conjunctival secretions. Infection Sick cats shed FHV in oral, nasal and conjunctival secretions; shedding may last for 3 weeks. Infection requires direct contact with a shedding cat. Disease signs Feline herpesvirus infections cause acute rhinitis and conjunctivitis, usually accompanied by fever, depression and anorexia. Affected cats may also develop typical ulcerative, dendritic keratitis. Diagnosis Samples consist of conjunctival, corneal or oropharyngeal swabs, corneal scrapings or biopsies. It is not recommended that cats recently vaccinated with a modified-live virus vaccine are sampled. Positive PCR results should be interpreted with caution, as they may be produced by low-level shedding or viral latency. Disease management ‘Tender loving care’ from the owner, supportive therapy and good nursing are essential. Anorexic cats should be fed blended, highly palatable food - warmed up if required. Mucolytic drugs (eg, bromhexine) or nebulisation with saline may offer relief. Broad-spectrum antibiotics should be given to prevent secondary bacterial infections. Topical antiviral drugs may be used for the treatment of acute FHV ocular disease. The virus is labile and susceptible to most disinfectants, antiseptics and detergents.

Molecular Epidemiology of Canine Parvovirus, Europe

Canine parvovirus (CPV), which causes hemorrhagic enteritis in dogs, has 3 antigenic variants: types 2a, 2b, and 2c. Molecular method assessment of the distribution of the CPV variants in Europe showed that the new variant CPV-2c is widespread in Europe and that the viruses are distributed in different countries.

Feline immunodeficiency. ABCD guidelines on prevention and management.

Overview Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a retrovirus closely related to human immunodeficiency virus. Most felids are susceptible to FIV, but humans are not. Feline immunodeficiency virus is endemic in domestic cat populations worldwide. The virus loses infectivity quickly outside the host and is susceptible to all disinfectants. Infection Feline immunodeficiency virus is transmitted via bites. The risk of transmission is low in households with socially well-adapted cats. Transmission from mother to kittens may occur, especially if the queen is undergoing an acute infection. Cats with FIV are persistently infected in spite of their ability to mount antibody and cell-mediated immune responses. Disease signs Infected cats generally remain free of clinical signs for several years, and some cats never develop disease, depending on the infecting isolate. Most clinical signs are the consequence of immunodeficiency and secondary infection. Typical manifestations are chronic gingivostomatitis, chronic rhinitis, lymphadenopathy, weight loss and immune-mediated glomerulonephritis. Diagnosis Positive in-practice ELISA results obtained in a low-prevalence or low-risk population should always be confirmed by a laboratory. Western blot is the ‘gold standard’ laboratory test for FIV serology. PCR-based assays vary in performance. Disease management Cats should never be euthanased solely on the basis of an FIV-positive test result. Cats infected with FIV may live as long as uninfected cats, with appropriate management. Asymptomatic FIV-infected cats should be neutered to avoid fighting and virus transmission. Infected cats should receive regular veterinary health checks. They can be housed in the same ward as other patients, but should be kept in individual cages.

Feline Infectious Peritonitis ABCD Guidelines on Prevention and Management

Overview Feline 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 signs The ‘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. Diagnosis The 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 decisionmaking about further diagnostic procedures. At the time of writing, there is no non-invasive confirmatory test available for cats without effusion. Disease management In 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.

Feline Leukaemia: ABCD Guidelines on Prevention and Management

Overview Feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) is a retrovirus that may induce depression of the immune system, anaemia and/or lymphoma. Over the past 25 years, the prevalence of FeLV infection has decreased considerably, thanks both to reliable tests for the identification of viraemic carriers and to effective vaccines. Infection Transmission between cats occurs mainly through friendly contacts, but also through biting. In large groups of non-vaccinated cats, around 30–40% will develop persistent viraemia, 30–40% show transient viraemia and 20–30% seroconvert. Young kittens are especially susceptible to FeLV infection. Disease signs The most common signs of persistent FeLV viraemia are immune suppression, anaemia and lymphoma. Less common signs are immune-mediated disease, chronic enteritis, reproductive disorders and peripheral neuropathies. Most persistently viraemic cats die within 2–3 years. Diagnosis In low-prevalence areas there may be a risk of false-positive results; a doubtful positive test result in a healthy cat should therefore be confirmed, preferably by PCR for provirus. Asymptomatic FeLV-positive cats should be retested. Disease management Supportive therapy and good nursing care are required. Secondary infections should be treated promptly. Cats infected with FeLV should remain indoors. Vaccination against common pathogens should be maintained. Inactivated vaccines are recommended. The virus does not survive for long outside the host.

VALUE OF ALPHA 1-ACID GLYCOPROTEIN IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF FELINE INFECTIOUS PERITONITIS

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is notoriously difficult to differentiate from the many other diseases with similar clinical signs and at present the only conclusive diagnostic test is the histopathological examination of a biopsy. The potential value of raised levels of the acute phase reactants, α1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) and haptoglobin in the diagnosis of the disease was investigated. The concentrations of the two proteins were determined in serum samples from healthy cats and gave reference ranges of 0.1 to 0.48 g/litre and 0.04 to 3.84 g/litre, respectively. Levels of AGP greater than 1.5 g/litre in serum, plasma or effusion samples were found to be of value in distinguishing field cases of FIP from cats with similar clinical signs and differentiated these two groups of cats more effectively than the albumin:globulin ratio. The concentration of haptoglobin was higher in cats with FIP than in the group of healthy cats, but this protein was not of value in the diagnosis of FIP. Serum samples from feline immunodeficiency virusinfected cats were also analysed for these proteins and their concentrations were significantly elevated, illustrating that raised levels of AGP and haptoglobin are not pathognomonic for FIP.

Use of a reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction for monitoring the shedding of feline coronavirus by healthy cats

The pattern of shedding of feline coronavirus (FCoV) was established in 155 naturally infected pet cats from 29 households over periods of up to five years. Viral RNA was detected in faeces by reverse-transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR), and plasma antiviral antibodies by immunofluorescence. The cats rarely shed FCoV in their saliva. Three patterns of FCoV shedding were observed. Eighteen of the cats shed virus continuously, so were persistent, and possibly lifelong, carriers; none of them developed feline infectious peritonitis. Fifty-six cats ceased shedding virus, although they were susceptible to reinfection, and 44 shed intermittently or were being continuously reinfected. Four of the cats were resistant to infection. Seventy-three per cent of the virus shedding episodes lasted up to three months and 95 per cent up to nine months. There was a correlation between shedding and antibody titre but the cats could remain seropositive for some time after they had ceased shedding virus. One-off testing for FcoV by RT-PCR iS inappropriate. Identification of longterm carriers requires that a positive result be obtained by RT-PCR on faecal samples for at least eight consecutive months. A cat should be shown to be negative over five months, or to have become seronegative, to ensure that it has ceased shedding virus.

Feline panleukopenia. ABCD guidelines on prevention and management

Overview Feline panleukopenia virus (FPV) infects all felids as well as raccoons, mink and foxes. This pathogen may survive in the environment for several months and is highly resistant to some disinfectants. Infection Transmission occurs via the faecal-oral route. Indirect contact is the most common route of infection, and FPV may be carried by fomites (shoes, clothing), which means indoor cats are also at risk. Intrauterine virus transmission and infection of neonates can occur. Disease signs Cats of all ages may be affected by FPV, but kittens are most susceptible. Mortality rates are high - over 90% in kittens. Signs of disease include diarrhoea, lymphopenia and neutropenia, followed by thrombocytopenia and anaemia, immunosuppression (transient in adult cats), cerebellar ataxia (in kittens only) and abortion. Diagnosis Feline panleukopenia virus antigen is detected in faeces using commercially available test kits. Specialised laboratories carry out PCR testing on whole blood or faeces. Serological tests are not recommended, as they do not distinguish between infection and vaccination. Disease management Supportive therapy and good nursing significantly decrease mortality rates. In cases of enteritis, parenteral administration of a broad-spectrum antibiotic is recommended. Disinfectants containing sodium hypochlorite (bleach), peracetic acid, formaldehyde or sodium hydroxide are effective.

Recommendations from workshops of the second international feline coronavirus/feline infectious peritonitis symposium

In August 2002, scientists and veterinarians from all over the world met in Scotland to discuss feline coronavirus (FCoV) and feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). The conference ended with delegates dividing into three workshops to draw up recommendations for FCoV control, diagnosis and treatment and future research. The workshops were chaired by the three authors and the recommendations are presented in this paper.

Bordetella Bronchiseptica Infection in Cats: ABCD Guidelines on Prevention and Management:

OverviewBordetella bronchiseptica is a Gram-negative bacterium that colonises the respiratory tract of mammals and is considered to be a primary pathogen of domestic cats. It is sensible to consider B bronchiseptica as a rare cause of zoonotic infections. The bacterium is susceptible to common disinfectants. Infection The bacterium is shed in oral and nasal secretions of infected cats. Dogs with respiratory disease are an infection risk for cats. The microorganism colonises the ciliated epithelium of the respiratory tract of the host, establishing chronic infections. Disease signs A wide range of respiratory signs has been associated with B bronchiseptica infection, from a mild illness with fever, coughing, sneezing, ocular discharge and lymphadenopathy to severe pneumonia with dyspnoea, cyanosis and death. Diagnosis Bacterial culture and PCR lack sensitivity. Samples for isolation can be obtained from the oropharynx (swabs) or via transtracheal wash/bronchoalveolar lavage. Disease management Antibacterial therapy is indicated, even if the signs are mild. Where sensitivity data are unavailable, tetracyclines are recommended. Doxycycline is the antimicrobial of choice. Cats with severe B bronchiseptica infection require supportive therapy and intensive nursing care.