You are here

Prevalence and diagnosis of retroviral infections in cats

Cat retroviruses, feline immunodeficiency virus and feline leukemia virus cause diseases that have a wide range of clinical manifestations and forms of infection. Aretrospective analysis of data from the last three years in the studied hospitals showed that the infection of cats with retroviruses is 32.6% for FeLV and 13.6% for FIV from the number of infectious diseases. Such high rates indicate that one third of cats coming to veterinary clinics with infectious diseases are infected with retroviruses. These are primarily animals at risk that have free range. Early detection of such animals by a veterinarian is important for effective treatment and prevention of infection. We have adapted the algorithm for the diagnosis of retroviral infections in cats to domestic conditions and developed practical recommendations for veterinarians on the effective choice of laboratory methods for the diagnosis of retroviral infections. It was found that in clinics, the initial study of whole blood samples from infectiously infected cats was performed using commercial serological test systems VetExpert FIVAb + FeLVAg. After the results of the first stage of the study, the protocol of the nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was tested. DNA isolation was performed using the IndiSpin Pathogen Kit. OneTaq® 2X Master PCR mix with Standard Buffer and specific oligonucleotides were used in the study. Proviral DNA was detected in 100% of blood samples for the respective pathogens FIV and FeLV. All animals that were pre-diagnosed with FIV and VLC infection at the first stage of diagnosis were diagnosed with proviral DNA and confirmed at the second stage of diagnosis. The use of the nested PCR method significantly increases the sensitivity and specificity of the study. The first stage of diagnosis allows a veterinarian to determine the infectious status of the animal on the basis of which to choose a treatment strategy and prevent transmission of the pathogen. The second stage of diagnosis allows you to clarify the previous diagnosis and establish the form of infection. The presence of a clear and understandable diagnostic algorithm is necessary for effective control of FIV and FeLV.

Key words: polymerase chain reaction, feline viral leukemia, feline immunodeficiency virus, molecular diagnostics, retroviral infections, diagnostic algorithm.

  1. Ludwick, K., Clymer, J. W. (2019). Comparative meta-analysis of feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus seroprevalence correlated with GDP per capita around the globe. Research in Veterinary Science. Vol. 125, pp. 89–93. (in England) DOI:10.1016/j.rvsc.2019.05.013
  2. Demkin, V. V., Kazakov, A. A. (2021). Prevalence of hemotropic mycoplasmas and coinfection with feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus in cats in the Moscow region, Russia. Preventive Veterinary Medicine. Vol. 190, 105339 p. (in England) DOI:10.1016/j.prevetmed.2021.105339
  3. Muz, D. (2021). The molecular and serological investigation of Feline immunodeficiency virus and Feline leukemia virus in stray cats of Western Turkey. 9 p. (in England)
  4. Galatyuk, O. E., Peredera, O. O., Lavrіnenko, І. V. (2016). Іnfekcіjnі hvorobi kotіv [Infectious diseases of cats]. Zhytomyr: Polissia, 132 p. (in Ukraine). Available at: dspace.pdaa.edu.ua:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/3035
  5. Cavalcante, L. T. F., Muniz, P. P., Jia, H. (2018). Clinical and Molecular Features of Feline Foamy Virus and Feline Leukemia Virus Co-Infection in Naturally-Infected Cats. 22 p. (in England) DOI:10.3390/ v10120702
  6. Gomez-Lucia, E., Collado, V. M., Miró, G. (2020). Clinical and Hematological Follow-Up of Long-Term Oral Therapy with Type-I Interferon in Cats Naturally Infected with Feline Leukemia Virus or Feline Immunodeficiency Virus. Animals. Vol. 10, no. 9, 1464 p. (in England) DOI:10.3390/ani10091464
  7. Diahnostyka ta profilaktyka virusu imunodefitsytu kotiv (FIV) [Diagnosis and prevention of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)]. Zbirnyk materialiv IV Vseukrainskoi naukovo-praktychnoi Internet-konferentsii «Suchasni aspekty likuvannia i profilaktyky khvorob tvaryn» (20–21 zhovtnia 2021 roku) [Proceedings of the IV All-Ukrainian scientific-practical Internet conference "Modern aspects of treatment and prevention of animal diseases" (October 20-21, 2021)]. Poltava, pp. 181–182. (in Ukraine)
  8. Beall, M. J., Buch, J., Cahill, R. J. (2019). Evaluation of a quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for feline leukemia virus p27 antigen and comparison to proviral DNA loads by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Vol. 67, 101348 p. (in England) DOI:10.1016/j.cimid.2019.101348
  9. Hofmann-Lehmann, R., Hartmann, K. (2020). Feline leukaemia virus infection: A practical approach to diagnosis. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. Vol. 22, no. 9, pp. 831–846. (in England). DOI:10.1177/1098612X20941785
  10. Tompkins, M. B., Tompkins, W. A. (2008). Lentivirus-induced immune dysregulation. Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology. Vol. 123, no. 1–2, pp. 45–55. (in England). DOI:10.1016/j.vetimm.2008.01.011
  11. Little, S., Levy, J., Hartmann, K. (2020). 2020 AAFP Feline Retrovirus Testing and Management Guidelines. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. Vol. 22, no. 1, pp. 5–30. (in England). DOI:10.1177/1098612X19895940
  12. Addie, D. D., Toth, S., Reid, S. (2000). Longterm impact on a closed household of pet cats of natural infection with feline coronavirus, feline leukaemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus. Veterinary Record. Vol. 146, no. 15, pp. 419–424. (in England). DOI:10.1136/vr.146.15.419
  13. Hartmann, K., Hofmann-Lehmann, R. (2020). What’s New in Feline Leukemia Virus Infection. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice. Vol. 50, no. 5, pp. 1013–1036. (in England). DOI:10.1016/j.cvsm.2020.05.006
  14. Lloret, A. (2009). The Process of Evidence-Based Medicine. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. Vol. 11, no. 7, pp. 529–529. (in England). DOI:10.1016/j.jfms.2009.05.001
  15. Flynn, J. N., Hanlon, L., Jarrett, O. (2000). Feline leukaemia virus: protective immunity is mediated by virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes. 6 p.
  16. Goldkamp, P. E., Levy, J. K., Edinboro, P. H. (2008). Seroprevalences of feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus in cats with abscesses or bite wounds and rate of veterinarian compliance with current guidelines for retrovirus testing. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Vol. 232, no. 8, pp. 1152–1158. (in England) DOI:10.2460/ javma.232.8.1152
  17. Hofmann-Lehmann, R., Cattori, V., Tandon, R. (2007). Vaccination against the feline leukaemia virus: Outcome and response categories and long-term follow-up. 9 p. (in England). DOI:10.1016/j.vaccine.2006.12.022
  18. Wilkes, R. P., Anis, E., Dunbar, D. (2017). Rapid and sensitive insulated isothermal PCR for point-of-need feline leukaemia virus detection. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. 8 p. (in England). DOI:10.1177/1098612X17712847
  19. Chiu, E., Hoover, E., VandeWoude, S. A. (2018). Retrospective Examination of Feline Leukemia Subgroup Characterization: Viral Interference Assays to Deep Sequencing. Viruses. Vol. 10, no. 1, 29 p. (in England). DOI:10.3390/v10010029
  20. Galdo Novo, S., Bucafusco, D., Diaz, L. M. (2016). Viral diagnostic criteria for Feline immunodeficiency virus and Feline leukemia virus infections in domestic cats from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Revista Argentina de Microbiología. Vol. 48, no. 4, pp. 293– 297. (in England). DOI:10.1016/j.ram.2016.07.003
AttachmentSize
PDF icon dovgenko_1_2022.pdf909.17 KB