Natural transmission of feline immunodeficiency virus from infected queen to kitten.

BACKGROUND: Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a naturally occurring lentivirus that infects cats. The primary mode of transmission occurs through bite wounds, and other routes are difficult to observe in nature. FINDINGS: The purpose of this study was to evaluate FIV transmission from queen to kitten in a colony of naturally infected stray cats. With this aim, a queen was monitored over a period of three years. A blood sample was taken to amplify and sequence gag, pol and env regions of the virus from the queen, two kittens and other cats from the colony. CONCLUSION: Phylogenetic analysis showed evidence of queen to kitten transmission.