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Leptospirosis is a bacterial zoonotic disease of major One Health significance and public health impact globally, with a wide host range including mammals, cetaceans and herpetofauna. This study aimed to determine Leptospira seroprevalence, risk factors for seroreactivity and prevalence of urinary Leptospira shedding among domestic cats in Hong Kong. Microagglutination testing of 22 Leptospira serovars from 20 serogroups was performed on 738 sera from outdoor free-roaming "community" cats (n = 391) and privately-owned (n = 347) cats. Urine from 268 community cats was tested for pathogenic Leptospira DNA by qPCR targeting lipL32. Potential risk factors associated with exposure were assessed using logistic regression. Overall Leptospira seroprevalence was 9.35%. Of 14 serogroups detected, Javanica (4.3%), Djasiman (2.3%) and Australis (1.5%) were most common. Seroreactivity was significantly higher among community (13.3%) than privately-owned cats (4.9%; OR 2.98 [95% CI 1.68-5.25], P < 0.001), especially to Javanica (7.65% of community cats versus 0.58% of privately-owned cats (P < 0.001). Antibody titres to all serogroups ranged from 1:100 to 1:6400 (median 1:200) and were highest for Javanica (median 1:800). Leptospira DNA was detected in urine from 12/268 community cats (4.48%; median load 6.42 × 102 copies/mL urine; range 1.40 × 101-9.63 × 104). One in three seroreactive community cats with paired urine and blood samples had leptospiruria. After adjusting for source, none of breed, sex, neuter status, age, district rodent infestation rate, serum alanine transaminase or creatinine values were associated with seroreactivity. Cats in Hong Kong are exposed to a diversity of Leptospira serogroups and can shed Leptospira silently in urine. The higher seroprevalence among outdoor free-roaming community cats highlights the importance of environmental drivers in leptospirosis transmission and risks of exposure for sympatric human populations. Gloves should be worn when handling feline urine to minimise the risk of zoonotic transmission from subclinically infected cats.
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Companion animals such as cats and dogs harbor diverse microbial communities that can potentially impact human health due to close and frequent contact. To better characterize their total infectomes and assess zoonotic risks, we characterized the overall infectomes of companion animals (cats and dogs) and evaluated their potential zoonotic risks. Meta-transcriptomic analyses were performed on 239 samples from cats and dogs collected across China, identifying 24 viral species, 270 bacterial genera, and two fungal genera. Differences in the overall microbiome and infectome composition were compared across different animal species (cats or dogs), sampling sites (rectal or oropharyngeal), and health status (healthy or diseased). Diversity analyses revealed that viral abundance was generally higher in diseased animals compared to healthy ones, while differences in microbial composition were mainly driven by sampling site, followed by animal species and health status. Disease association analyses validated the pathogenicity of known pathogens and suggested potential pathogenic roles of previously undescribed bacteria and newly discovered viruses. Cross-species transmission analyses identified seven pathogens shared between cats and dogs, such as alphacoronavirus 1, which was detected in both oropharyngeal and rectal swabs albeit with differential pathogenicity. Further analyses showed that some viruses, like alphacoronavirus 1, harbored multiple lineages exhibiting distinct pathogenicity, tissue, or host preferences. Ultimately, a systematic evolutionary screening identified 27 potential zoonotic pathogens in this sample set, with far more bacterial than viral species, implying potential health threats to humans. Overall, our meta-transcriptomic analysis reveals a landscape of actively transcribing microorganisms in major companion animals, highlighting key pathogens, those with the potential for cross-species transmission, and possible zoonotic threats. IMPORTANCE: This study provides a comprehensive characterization of the entire community of infectious microbes (viruses, bacteria, and fungi) in companion animals like cats and dogs, termed the "infectome." By analyzing hundreds of samples from across China, the researchers identified numerous known and novel pathogens, including 27 potential zoonotic agents that could pose health risks to both animals and humans. Notably, some of these zoonotic pathogens were detected even in apparently healthy pets, highlighting the importance of surveillance. The study also revealed key microbial factors associated with respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases in pets, as well as potential cross-species transmission events between cats and dogs. Overall, this work sheds light on the complex microbial landscapes of companion animals and their potential impacts on animal and human health, underscoring the need for monitoring and management of these infectious agents.
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This case series investigates a cluster of deaths in a captive colony of Leschenault's rousettes (Rousettus leschenaultii). Six of seven bats that died between March and September 2021 were diagnosed postmortem with both iron overload (IO) and neoplasia, neither of which have previously been reported in this species. Iron status was assessed via hepatic histopathological grading, hepatic iron concentration, and, in two cases, serum iron concentration. On histopathological grading, all cases had hemochromatosis except one, which had hemosiderosis. Hepatic iron concentrations did not correlate with histopathological grading. Neoplasms in these six bats included hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC; 4), bronchioloalveolar adenocarcinoma (1), pancreatic adenocarcinoma (1), and sarcoma of the spleen and stomach (1). One bat had two neoplasms (HCC and sarcoma of the spleen and stomach). One additional case of HCC in 2018 was identified on retrospective case review. Etiology was investigated to the extent possible in a clinical setting. Nutritional analysis and drinking water testing found oral iron intake within acceptable bounds; however, dietary vitamin C was potentially excessive and may have contributed to IO. Panhepadnavirus PCR testing of liver tissue was negative for all bats. A species-associated susceptibility to IO, as seen in Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus), is possible. The high incidence of HCC is suspected to be related to IO; other differentials include viral infection. Causes or contributing factors were not definitively identified for the other neoplasms seen but could include age, inherited risk (given a high level of inbreeding), or an oncogenic virus. Pending further research in this species, it is recommended that keepers of Leschenault's rousettes offer conservative amounts of vitamin C and iron (as for Egyptian fruit bats), submit for postmortem examination any euthanized or found dead, and share records of similar cases.
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Adenocarcinoma , Carcinoma Hepatocelular , Quirópteros , Hemocromatose , Neoplasias Hepáticas , Neoplasias Pancreáticas , Sarcoma , Animais , Adenocarcinoma/veterinária , Ácido Ascórbico , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/veterinária , Quirópteros/metabolismo , Hemocromatose/complicações , Hemocromatose/veterinária , Neoplasias Hepáticas/veterinária , Neoplasias Pancreáticas/veterinária , Estudos Retrospectivos , Sarcoma/veterináriaRESUMO
Understanding the local epidemiology of feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) in Hong Kong will inform retrovirus prevention strategies. Domestic cat hepadnavirus (DCH), a novel hepatitis-B-like virus, is commonly detected among client-owned cats in Hong Kong, but community cats have not been studied. The aims of this study were to investigate the frequency and potential risk factors for (i) FeLV and FIV among community and client-owned cats and (ii) perform molecular detection of DCH among community cats in Hong Kong. Blood samples from 713 cats were obtained from client-owned (n = 415, residual diagnostic) and community cats (n = 298, at trap-neuter-return). Point-of-care (POC) testing for FeLV antigen and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) anti-p15 and p24 antibodies was performed. FeLV-positive samples were progressed to p27 sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Whole blood DNA was tested with qPCRs for FeLV U3 and gag, and nested PCRs where additional information was required. DCH qPCR was performed on a subset of community cats (n = 193). A single, regressive, FeLV infection was detected in a client-owned cat (1/415 FeLV U3 qPCR positive, 0.2%, 95% CI 0.0-1.3%). Five/415 client-owned cats tested presumably false FeLV-antigen positive (qPCR negative). No markers of FeLV infection were detected in community cats (0/298; 0%). FIV seroprevalence was much higher in community cats (46/298, 15.4%) than in client-owned cats (13/415, 3.1%) (p < 0.001). Mixed breed was a risk factor for FIV infection in client-owned cats. Neither sex nor age were associated with FIV infection. DCH DNA was detected in 34/193 (17.6%) community cats (median viral load 6.32 × 103 copies/reaction). FeLV infection is rare in Hong Kong, negatively impacting the positive predictive value of diagnostic tests. FeLV-antigen testing remains the screening test of choice, but confirmation of a positive result using FeLV qPCR is essential. FIV infection is common in community cats and the absence of a sex predisposition, seen previously in cats managed similarly, raises questions about virus-transmission dynamics in these groups. DCH infection is very common in Hong Kong, both in client-owned and community cats, highlighting the importance of understanding the pathogenic potential of this virus for cats.
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Doenças do Gato , Síndrome de Imunodeficiência Adquirida Felina , Hepadnaviridae , Vírus da Imunodeficiência Felina , Leucemia Felina , Humanos , Animais , Gatos , Retroviridae/genética , Hepadnaviridae/genética , Estudos Soroepidemiológicos , Hong Kong/epidemiologia , Vírus da Imunodeficiência Felina/genética , Vírus da Leucemia Felina/genética , Anticorpos Antivirais , DNA , Doenças do Gato/diagnóstico , Doenças do Gato/epidemiologiaRESUMO
We are grateful to the authors for providing additional data to demonstrate the presence of domestic cat hepadnavirus in lymphoma tissues [...].
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Hepadnaviridae , Linfoma , Gatos , Animais , Linfoma/veterináriaRESUMO
We write to comment on Piewbang C et al [...].
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Doenças do Gato , Hepadnaviridae , Linfoma , Animais , Gatos , Linfoma/veterináriaRESUMO
An improved understanding of behaviors reflecting acute pain in cats is a priority for feline welfare. The aim of this study was to create and validate a comprehensive ethogram of acute pain behaviors in cats that can discriminate painful versus non-painful individuals. An inventory of behaviors (ethogram) with their respective descriptors was created based on a literature review of PubMed, Web of Science and CAB Abstracts databases. The ethogram was divided into ten behavior categories that could be evaluated by duration and/or frequency: position in the cage, exploratory behaviors, activity, posture and body position, affective-emotional states, vocalization, playing (with an object), feeding, post-feeding and facial expressions/features. Thirty-six behaviors were analyzed independently by four veterinarians with postgraduate qualifications in feline medicine and/or behavior as (1) not relevant, (2) somewhat relevant, (3) quite relevant or (4) highly relevant and used for content (I-CVI) and face validity. Items with I-CVI scores > 0.67 were included. Twenty-four behaviors were included in the final ethogram. Thirteen items presented full agreement (i.e., I-CVI = 1): positioned in the back of the cage, no attention to surroundings, feigned sleep, grooming, attention to wound, crouched/hunched, abnormal gait, depressed, difficulty grasping food, head shaking, eye squinting, blepharospasm and lowered head position. Seven descriptors were reworded according to expert suggestions. The final ethogram provides a detailed description of acute pain behaviors in cats after content and face validity and can be applied to the characterization of different acute painful conditions in hospitalized cats.
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Dor Aguda , Animais , Gatos , Dor Aguda/diagnóstico , Dor Aguda/veterinária , Comportamento Animal , Consenso , Comportamento Exploratório , Marcha , HumanosRESUMO
Tick-borne haemoparasite Babesia gibsoni has been detected rarely in cats, in surveys of apparently healthy animals. In stored blood from a 6-year-old male-neutered domestic shorthair cat in Hong Kong, B. gibsoni DNA was detected retrospectively using PCR for Babesia spp. 18S rRNA and mitochondrial cytochrome B genes, followed by sequencing and basic local alignment search tool (BLAST) analysis. The cat presented with severe haemolytic anaemia and thrombocytopenia. The cat responded to supportive care and glucocorticoids and was clinically normal despite persistent subclinical thrombocytopenia until six months after presentation, when it succumbed to a fatal haemorrhagic episode. Necropsy revealed severe intestinal and pulmonary haemorrhage and hypocellular bone marrow with megakaryocytosis but no other causes of immune-mediated thrombocytopenia (IMTP) or immune-mediated haemolytic anaemia (IMHA). Blood stored on days 158 and 180 tested PCR negative for Babesia spp. This report demonstrates that geographic range of B. gibsoni detection in cats includes Hong Kong. The exclusion of other causes suggests that B. gibsoni might have potentially played a role in triggering immune-mediated disease in this case.
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Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has affected millions of people worldwide since its emergence in 2019. Knowing the potential capacity of the virus to adapt to other species, the serological surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 infection in susceptible animals is important. Hong Kong and Seoul are two of Asia's most densely populated urban cities, where companion animals often live in close contact with humans. Sera collected from 1040 cats and 855 dogs during the early phase of the pandemic in Hong Kong and Seoul were tested for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies using an ELISA that detects antibodies against the receptor binding domain of the viral spike protein. Positive sera were also tested for virus neutralizing antibodies using a surrogate virus neutralization (sVNT) and plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT). Among feline sera, 4.51% and 2.54% of the samples from Korea and Hong Kong, respectively, tested ELISA positive. However, only 1.64% of the samples from Korea and 0.18% from Hong Kong tested positive by sVNT, while only 0.41% of samples from Korea tested positive by PRNT. Among canine samples, 4.94% and 6.46% from Korea and Hong Kong, respectively, tested positive by ELISA, while only 0.29% of sera from Korea were positive on sVNT and no canine sera tested positive by PRNT. These results confirm a low seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 exposure in companion animals in Korea and Hong Kong. The discordance between the RBD-ELISA and neutralization tests may indicate possible ELISA cross-reactivity with other coronaviruses, especially in canine sera.
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COVID-19 , Doenças do Gato , Doenças do Cão , Gatos , Humanos , Animais , Cães , COVID-19/epidemiologia , COVID-19/veterinária , SARS-CoV-2 , Pandemias , Prevalência , Doenças do Gato/epidemiologia , Hong Kong/epidemiologia , Estudos Soroepidemiológicos , Doenças do Cão/epidemiologia , Anticorpos Antivirais , República da Coreia/epidemiologiaRESUMO
Domestic cat hepadnavirus (DCH) is an emerging virus related to the hepatitis B virus (HBV). The pathogenic potential of DCH in cats remains to be established. The molecular prevalence of DCH varies widely in the regions investigated so far. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, load, and risk factors for DCH detection among cats in Hong Kong, and to generate molecular and epidemiological data on the DCH strains circulating in cats in Hong Kong. DCH DNA was detected using DCH-specific qPCR in 57/513 (11.1%) residual diagnostic blood samples from owned cats. The median viral load was 8.85 × 103 copies/mL of whole blood (range for the 5th to the 95th percentile, 3.33 × 103 to 2.2 × 105 copies per mL). Two outliers had higher viral loads of 1.88 × 107 copies/mL and 4.90 × 109 copies/mL. DCH was detected in cats from 3 months to 19 years of age. Sex, age, neuter status, breed, or elevated serum alanine aminotransferase were not statistically associated with DCH DNA detection. On phylogenetic analysis based on 12 complete genome sequences, the Hong Kong DCH viruses clustered in Genotype A with viruses from Australia and Asia (clade A1), distinct from viruses from Europe (clade A2). Sequence analysis found that DCH has similar epsilon and direct repeat regions to human HBV, suggesting a conserved method of replication. Based on our findings, the DCH strains circulating in Hong Kong are a continuum of the Asiatic strains.
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Hepadnaviridae , Gatos , Animais , Humanos , Hong Kong/epidemiologia , Filogenia , Hepadnaviridae/genética , Epidemiologia Molecular , Fatores de RiscoRESUMO
Cat ownership is common in Chile, but data on the regional prevalence of infectious agents are limited. A sero-molecular survey of 120 client- or shelter-owned domestic cats in greater Santiago was performed. Whole blood DNA was tested for the novel hepatitis-B-like virus, domestic cat hepadnavirus (DCH) by conventional PCR (cPCR) and quantitative PCR (qPCR), and for feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) by qPCR. Point-of-care serology for FeLV p27 antigen and antibodies recognising feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) p15 and p24 was performed. DCH DNA was detected in the serum of 2/120 cats (1.67%). Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis showed that the DCH detected in Chile occupies a position outside the main clustering of DCH in the near-complete genome tree. Progressive (antigen-positive, provirus-positive) and regressive (antigen-negative, provirus-positive) FeLV infections were identified in 6/120 (5%) and 9/120 (7.5%) of cats. A total of 2/120 (1.7%) cats had dual FeLV/FIV infection, and another 2 cats had FIV infection alone. This study shows that the global footprint of DCH includes South America with a low molecular frequency in Chile, similar to that reported in the USA. Progressive FeLV infection is relatively common in urban Chile, and male cats are at greater risk than females. Testing and control measures for pathogenic retroviruses are indicated. The potential impact of FeLV, FIV and DCH on Chile's wildcat species is worthy of further investigation.
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Hepadnaviridae , Vírus da Imunodeficiência Felina , Leucemia Felina , Humanos , Feminino , Gatos , Animais , Retroviridae , Chile/epidemiologia , Filogenia , Vírus da Leucemia Felina/genética , Vírus da Imunodeficiência Felina/genética , DNARESUMO
Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) is a chronic, lifelong, debilitating, primarily obstructive airway disease which adversely affects the quality of life of many popular dog breeds. Respiratory restriction in bulldog breeds, pugs and Boston terriers frequently co-exist with pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, many brachycephalic dogs that appear clinically normal are, in fact suffering from chronic hypoxia and its systemic consequences. Concurrent gastroesophageal reflux-associated conditions, sleep disorders and systemic hypertension further impact the welfare of affected dogs. Acceptance of BOAS and associated clinical signs as being 'normal for the breed' is common amongst owners. While surgical correction of the upper airway is the mainstay of treatment, the provision of subsequent, frequently lifelong medical management is equally important for the maintenance of an acceptable quality of life, at least for some affected patients. Here we review the current knowledge concerning brachycephaly, combine it with shared clinical experience in the management of this debilitating condition, and discuss ethical considerations and the responsibility of veterinarians to contribute public education and to support appropriate breed standards for animals under our care.
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Obstrução das Vias Respiratórias , Craniossinostoses , Doenças do Cão , Cães , Animais , Qualidade de Vida , Doenças do Cão/patologia , Craniossinostoses/cirurgia , Craniossinostoses/veterinária , Craniossinostoses/patologia , Obstrução das Vias Respiratórias/cirurgia , Obstrução das Vias Respiratórias/veterinária , Obstrução das Vias Respiratórias/patologiaRESUMO
Hepadnaviruses are partially double-stranded DNA viruses that infect a variety of species. The prototypical virus in this family is the human hepatitis B virus, which chronically infects approximately 400 million people worldwide and is a risk factor for progressive liver disease and liver cancer. The first hepadnavirus isolated from carnivores was a domestic cat hepadnavirus (DCH), initially identified in Australia and subsequently detected in cats in Europe and Asia. As with all characterized hepadnaviruses so far, DCH infection has been associated with hepatic disease in its host. Prevalence of this infection in the United States has not been explored broadly. Thus, we utilized conventional and quantitative PCR to screen several populations of domestic cats to estimate DCH prevalence in the United States. We detected DCH DNA in 1 out of 496 animals (0.2%) in the U.S. cohort. In contrast, we detected circulating DCH DNA in 7 positive animals from a cohort of 67 domestic cats from Australia (10.4%), consistent with previous studies. The complete consensus genome of the U.S. DCH isolate was sequenced by Sanger sequencing with overlapping PCR products. An in-frame deletion of 157 bp was identified in the N-terminus of the core open reading frame. The deletion begins at the direct repeat 1 sequence (i.e., the 5' end of the expected double-stranded linear DNA form), consistent with covalently closed circular DNA resultant from illegitimate recombination described in other hepadnaviruses. Comparative genome sequence analysis indicated that the closest described relatives of the U.S. DCH isolate are those previously isolated in Italy. Motif analysis supports DCH using NTCP as an entry receptor, similar to human HBV. Our work indicates that chronic DCH prevalence in the U.S. is likely low compared to other countries.
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Hepadnaviridae , Gatos , Humanos , Estados Unidos/epidemiologia , Animais , Hepadnaviridae/genética , Prevalência , Vírus da Hepatite B/genética , Análise de Sequência de DNA/veterinária , DNA Circular , Genômica , DNA Viral/genéticaRESUMO
Lymphoma is the most common tumor of the nasal cavity in cats. Commonly used treatment modalities are radiotherapy and chemotherapy, or both. Typical chemotherapy protocols used in cats with nasal lymphoma are COP (cyclophosphamide, vincristine prednisolone) and CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisolone). Thus far, the use of single-agent chlorambucil in nasal lymphoma has been evaluated in a single case report. We report a case series of three cats with B cell nasal lymphoma, two cats with intermediate cell, and one large cell, all with a low mitotic index (MI) of less than 5 mitotic figures per ×400 field, treated with chlorambucil and prednisolone. Two of the cases achieved a long disease-free interval, while the one with the highest MI did not. Protocols using chlorambucil and prednisolone may have potential as a first-line therapy for feline nasal lymphoma cases with a very low mitotic index.
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Bats are important reservoirs for viruses of public health and veterinary concern. Virus studies in Australian bats usually target the families Paramyxoviridae, Coronaviridae and Rhabdoviridae, with little known about their overall virome composition. We used metatranscriptomic sequencing to characterise the faecal virome of grey-headed flying foxes from three colonies in urban/suburban locations from two Australian states. We identified viruses from three mammalian-infecting (Coronaviridae, Caliciviridae, Retroviridae) and one possible mammalian-infecting (Birnaviridae) family. Of particular interest were a novel bat betacoronavirus (subgenus Nobecovirus) and a novel bat sapovirus (Caliciviridae), the first identified in Australian bats, as well as a potentially exogenous retrovirus. The novel betacoronavirus was detected in two sampling locations 1375 km apart and falls in a viral lineage likely with a long association with bats. This study highlights the utility of unbiased sequencing of faecal samples for identifying novel viruses and revealing broad-scale patterns of virus ecology and evolution.
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Quirópteros , Coronavirus , Sapovirus , Animais , Humanos , Retroviridae/genética , Viroma , Austrália , MamíferosRESUMO
Feline panleukopenia (FPL), a highly contagious and frequently fatal disease of cats, is caused by Feline parvovirus (FPV) and Canine parvovirus (CPV). We characterised the diversity of these Carnivore protoparvovirus 1 variants in 18 faecal samples collected from domestic cats with FPL during an outbreak, using targeted parvoviral DNA metagenomics to a mean depth of >10,000 × coverage per site. All samples comprised FPV alone. Compared with the reference FPV genome, isolated in 1967, 44 mutations were detected. Ten of these were nonsynonymous, including 9 in nonstructural genes and one in VP1/VP2 (Val232Ile), which was the only one to exhibit interhost diversity, being present in five sequences. There were five other polymorphic nucleotide positions, all with synonymous mutations. Intrahost diversity at all polymorphic positions was low, with subconsensus variant frequencies (SVF) of <1% except for two positions (2108 and 3208) in two samples with SVF of 1.1−1.3%. Intrahost nucleotide diversity was measured across the whole genome (0.7−1.5%) and for each gene and was highest in the NS2 gene of four samples (1.2−1.9%). Overall, intrahost viral genetic diversity was limited and most mutations observed were synonymous, indicative of a low background mutation rate and strong selective constraints.
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Panleucopenia Felina , Infecções por Parvoviridae , Animais , Gatos , Surtos de Doenças/veterinária , Panleucopenia Felina/epidemiologia , Vírus da Panleucopenia Felina/genética , Mutação , Nucleotídeos , Infecções por Parvoviridae/epidemiologia , Infecções por Parvoviridae/veterináriaRESUMO
Chronic hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) caused by the hepadnavirus hepatitis B virus (HBV) are significant causes of human mortality. A hepatitis-B-like virus infecting cats, domestic cat hepadnavirus (DCH), was reported in 2018. DCH DNA is hepatotropic and detectable in feline blood or serum (3.2 to 12.3%). Detection of HBV DNA has been reported in sera from 10% of free-roaming dogs in Brazil, whereas 6.3% of sera from dogs in Italy tested positive for DCH DNA by real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). If DCH, HBV, or another hepadnavirus is hepatotropic in dogs, a role for such a virus in the etiology of canine idiopathic chronic hepatitis (CH) or HCC warrants investigation. This study investigated whether DCH DNA could be detected via qPCR in blood from dogs in Hong Kong and also whether liver biopsies from dogs with confirmed idiopathic CH or HCC contained hepadnaviral DNA using two panhepadnavirus conventional PCRs (cPCR) and a DCH-specific cPCR. DCH DNA was amplified from 2 of 501 (0.4%) canine whole-blood DNA samples. A second sample taken 6 or 7 months later from each dog tested negative in DCH qPCR. DNA extracted from 101 liver biopsies from dogs in Hong Kong or the USA, diagnosed by board-certified pathologists as idiopathic CH (n = 47) or HCC (n = 54), tested negative for DCH DNA and also tested negative using panhepadnavirus cPCRs. This study confirms that DCH DNA can be detected in canine blood by qPCR, although at a much lower prevalence than that reported previously. We identified no evidence to support a pathogenic role for a hepadnavirus in canine idiopathic CH or HCC.
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Carcinoma Hepatocelular , Hepadnaviridae , Neoplasias Hepáticas , Animais , Biópsia , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/veterinária , Gatos , DNA Viral/genética , Cães , Hepadnaviridae/genética , Vírus da Hepatite B/genética , Hepatite Crônica , Hong Kong , HumanosRESUMO
A three-year-old male neutered Norwegian Forest cat was referred for bilateral ambulatory paraparesis and spinal pain. On magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a mass involving the right epaxial muscles with vertebral canal invasion and causing marked extradural spinal cord compression was identified. At surgery, the mass was debulked and a right hemilaminectomy was performed. Histopathology was diagnostic of fibroblastic osteosarcoma. Residual osteolytic lesions of the osteosarcoma were present at the level of the spinous process of the second lumbar vertebra. Four cycles of adjuvant doxorubicin chemotherapy were administered followed by oral toceranib phosphate. Neurological signs improved gradually over weeks to months and the lesion in the spinous process was no longer visible on radiographs. At one year from diagnosis, an MRI of the T3-L3 (3rd thoracic vertebra to the 3rd lumbar vertebra) spinal region and a whole-body computer tomography (CT) scan found no evidence of the osteosarcoma in the spine or of any metastasis. All medications were stopped and, at the time of writing 16 months later, the patient is neurologically normal with no signs of cancer recurrence. This is the first case report documenting the complete resolution of vertebral osteosarcoma lesions after treatment with doxorubicin followed by toceranib phosphate. The treatment also prevented tumor recurrence and was associated with an exceptionally long-term survival time.
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Feline panleukopenia (FPL) is a severe, often fatal disease caused by feline panleukopenia virus (FPV). How infection with FPV might impact the composition of the entire eukaryotic enteric virome in cats has not been characterized. We used meta-transcriptomic and viral particle enrichment metagenomic approaches to characterize the enteric viromes of 23 cats naturally infected with FPV (FPV-cases) and 36 age-matched healthy shelter cats (healthy controls). Sequencing reads from mammalian infecting viral families largely belonged to the Coronaviridae, Parvoviridae and Astroviridae. The most abundant viruses among the healthy control cats were feline coronavirus, Mamastrovirus 2 and Carnivore bocaparvovirus 3 (feline bocavirus), with frequent coinfections of all three. Feline chaphamaparvovirus was only detected in healthy controls (6 out of 36, 16.7%). Among the FPV-cases, in addition to FPV, the most abundant viruses were Mamastrovirus 2, feline coronavirus and C. bocaparvovirus 4 (feline bocaparvovirus 2). The latter and feline bocaparvovirus 3 were detected significantly more frequently in FPV-cases than in healthy controls. Feline calicivirus was present in a higher proportion of FPV-cases (11 out of 23, 47.8%) compared to healthy controls (5 out of 36, 13.9%, p = 0.0067). Feline kobuvirus infections were also common among FPV-cases (9 out of 23, 39.1%) and were not detected in any healthy controls (p < .0001). While abundant in both groups, astroviruses were more frequently present in FPV-cases (19 out of 23, 82.6%) than in healthy controls (18 out of 36, p = .0142). The differences in eukaryotic virome composition revealed here indicate that further investigations are warranted to determine associations between enteric viral co-infections on clinical disease severity in cats with FPL.
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Bocavirus , Calicivirus Felino , Doenças do Gato , Panleucopenia Felina , Parvoviridae , Vírus , Animais , Bocavirus/genética , Gatos , Panleucopenia Felina/epidemiologia , Vírus da Panleucopenia Felina/genética , Mamíferos , ViromaRESUMO
Felis catus gammaherpesvirus-1 (FcaGHV1), a novel candidate oncogenic virus, infects cats worldwide. Whether the oropharynx is a site of virus shedding and persistence, and whether oronasal carcinomas harbor FcaGHV1 nucleic acid were investigated. In a prospective molecular epidemiological study, FcaGHV1 DNA was detected by cPCR in oropharyngeal swabs from 26/155 (16.8%) of cats. Oropharyngeal shedding was less frequently detected in kittens ≤3 months of age (5/94, 5.3%) than in older animals; >3 months to ≤1 year: 8/26, 30.8%, (p = 0.001, OR 7.91, 95% CI (2.320, 26.979)); >1 year to ≤6 years: 10/20, 50%, (p < 0.001, OR 17.8 95% CI (5.065, 62.557)); >6 years: 3/15, 33% (p = 0.078). Provenance (shelter-owned/privately owned) was not associated with shedding. In situ hybridization (ISH) identified FcaGHV1-infected cells in salivary glandular epithelium but not in other oronasal tissues from two of three cats shedding viral DNA in the oropharynx. In a retrospective dataset of 11 oronasopharyngeal carcinomas, a single tumor tested positive for FcaGHV1 DNA by ISH, a papillary carcinoma, where scattered neoplastic cells showed discrete nuclear hybridization. These data support the oronasopharynx as a site of FcaGHV1 shedding, particularly after maternal antibodies are expected to decline. The salivary epithelium is identified as a potential site of FcaGHV1 persistence. No evidence supporting a role for FcaGHV1 in feline oronasal carcinomas was found in the examined tumours.