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Epizootological analysis of the cats coronavirus prevalence in Ukraine

The study is dedicated to the problem of feline coronavirus infection in Ukraine. The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of Feline Coronavirus (FCoV) in various populations (clinical, stray, and owned cats) in Ukraine, as well as to evaluate the key epizootiological risk factors for infection, which is important for developing effective strategies for the control and prevention of feline coronavirus infection, including Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP). The study had a complex design and included three main stages: a retrospective analysis of laboratory test results (n=6,377) for the period 2019–2023, covering PCR diagnostics and ELISA for IgG; a cross-sectional seroprevalence study using ELISA (n=234) in a large cohort of clinically healthy stray cats from five cities of the country (Sumy, Mykolaiv, Uman, Chernihiv, and Poltava); and an analysis of risk factors (n=29) for coronavirus infection based on cat owner survey results and testing of cats using ICA for the presence of antibodies and coronavirus antigen. A high endemicity of FCoV was established in Ukraine, specifically seroprevalence in the clinical sample was 40.0% (CI: 38.5% – 41.5%), while the rate in the stray cat population was significantly higher at 58.9% (CI: 52.6% – 65.1%), and 33.6% of the examined animals were identified as active virus carriers. The stray cat population was determined to be the main reservoir of infection, which is confirmed by the highest seroprevalence in this group. Regional analysis revealed statistically significant variability in FCoV prevalence among stray cats, ranging from 20.0% to 80.0% (p < 0.001) in different cities. Risk factor analysis confirmed that cohabitation with other cats is a statistically significant factor contributing to infection (p=0.0152), confirming the importance of animal density for FCoV transmission. The detected high prevalence of FCoV creates a signifi cant population risk for the development of Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP), which is confirmed by 54.4% positive results in ascites fluid samples from cats suspected of having FIP. Further attention is required for FCoV control measures through regulating cat housing density and adhering to sanitary and hygienic standards, especially in catteries and shelters.

Keywords: feline coronavirus, FCoV, Feline Infectious Peritonitis, FIP, seroprevalence, stray cats, risk factors, effusion, ELISA, PCR.

TIEOR V. https://orcid.org/0009-0000-3728-2003


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Scientific Journal of Veterinary Medicine 2'2025