Alterações clínicas e hematológicas em gatos com infecção natural e progressivapelo vírus da leucemia felina (FeLV) / Clinical and haematological disorders in cats with natural and progressive infectionby feline leukemia virus (FeLV)

ABSTRACT

Background: Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is an important infectious agent in cats, responsible for great health damages anda large death amount. Among the most common clinical disorders caused by FeLV, severe hematological changes are relatedat the progressive infection, ordinarily presented as cytopenias. Regarding its oncogenic potential, lymphoma and leukemiaare the most observed illness originated by the agent. Therefore, this study has the goal of describing and comparing clinicaland hematological disorders in FeLV positive cats from a selected population.Materials, Methods & Results: Data of clinical evaluations of felines from a previously performed cross-sectional epidemiological study were compiled. This study obtained the prevalence of FeLV infected cats in Santa Catarina Plateau. Threegroups were established from the original sample of 274 cats; Group 1 (control), FeLV negative and none clinical changes (n= 80); Group 2, FeLV positive and none clinical changes (n = 9); Group 3, FeLV positive cats with clinical disorders (n = 29).Physical and hematological examination data were obtained from the medical records. The clinical changes at Group 3 weremucosal pallor (65.51% [19/29]), neurological disorders (20.69% [6/29]), lymphoma (20.69% [6/29]), coinfections (10.34%[3/29]) and leukemia (6.9% [2/29]). The most observed hematological disorders of Group 3 were anemia (65.51% [19/29]) andthrombocytopenia (62.7% [18/20]). At the complete blood count, the medium erythrocyte and eosinophil count, hemoglobinconcentration and hematocrit were lower for Group 3 than the other two groups. The mean number of platelets count werehigher for Group 1 than Group 2 and 3. The mean of the other variables remained between reference numbers. However, adescriptive analysis within the groups demonstrated that lymphopenia was observed in 34.48% (10/29) and neutropenia in17.24% (5/29) at the Group 3...