Enteropathogen co-infection in UK cats with diarrhoea.

BACKGROUND: Individual enteropathogen infections in healthy and clinically ill cats are well described, but prevalence and patterns of enteropathogen co-infection have only been reported on a limited basis. We studied enteropathogen co-infection in diarrhoeic UK cats using results of a real time PCR assay for 8 enteropathogenic species; feline coronavirus (Co), feline panleukopenia virus (Pa), Clostridium perfringens (Cl), Salmonella enterica (Sa), Giardia spp. (Gi), Tritrichomonas foetus (Tr), Cryptosporidium spp. (Cr), and Toxoplasma gondii (To). Age, gender, breed and history were recorded. PCR panels from 1088 diarrhoeic cats were available for analysis. RESULTS: Overall enteropathogen prevalence was 56.9% (Co), 22.1% (Pa), 56.6% (Cl), 0.8% (Sa), 20.6% (Gi), 18.8% (Tr), 24.4% (Cr) and 1.0% (To). Prevalence of Co, Gi and Tr was higher in pedigree cats compared to non-pedigree cats (DSH) and prevalence decreased with increasing age for Co, Pa, Gi, Cr and Tr. Co-infection was common: ≥2 enteropathogens were detected in 62.5% of cats, and 13.3% of cats had ≥4 enteropathogens. Mean ( x¯) enteropathogen co-infection 2.01 (±1.3 SD), was significantly higher in pedigree cats ( x¯ =2.51) compared to DSH ( x¯ =1.68) and decreased with age ( x¯ =2.64 <6 months, x¯ =1.68 for >1 yr). More cats were negative for all 8 enteropathogens tested (12.7%) than expected. When exact combinations of co-infection were examined, Tr tended to be found in combinations with Co, Cl, and Gi. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple infections should be considered the most likely result of faecal testing in cats, and case management needs to take this into account. In contrast, the relatively high percentage of cats negative for all 8 enteropathogens tested could indicate an innate resistance to infection. Alternatively it could indicate a lack of exposure to these 8 enteropathogens or the presence of other enteropathogens not assessed by this assay.

Does a feline leukemia virus infection pave the way for Bartonella henselae infection in cats?

Domestic cats serve as the reservoir hosts of Bartonella henselae and may develop mild clinical symptoms or none after experimental infection. In humans, B. henselae infection can result in self-limiting cat scratch disease. However, immunocompromised patients may suffer from more-severe courses of infection or may even develop the potentially lethal disease bacillary angiomatosis. It was reasoned that cats with immunocompromising viral infections may react similarly to B. henselae infection. The aim of our study was to investigate the influence of the most important viruses known to cause immunosuppression in cats-Feline leukemia virus (FeLV), Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), and Feline panleukopenia virus (FPV)-on natural B. henselae infection in cats. Accordingly, 142 cats from animal shelters were necropsied and tested for B. henselae and concurrent infections with FeLV, FIV, or FPV by PCR and immunohistochemistry. A significant association was found between B. henselae and FeLV infections (P = 0.00028), but not between B. henselae and FIV (P = 1.0) or FPV (P = 0.756) infection, age (P = 0.392), or gender (P = 0.126). The results suggest that susceptibility to B. henselae infection is higher in cats with concurrent FeLV infections, regardless of whether the infection is latent or progressive. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry for B. henselae failed to identify lesions that could be attributed specifically to B. henselae infection. We conclude that the course of natural B. henselae infection in cats does not seem to be influenced by immunosuppressive viral infections in general but that latent FeLV infection may predispose cats to B. henselae infection or persistence.

Prognostic value of systemic inflammatory response syndrome and serum concentrations of acute phase proteins, cholesterol, and total thyroxine in cats with panleukopenia.

BACKGROUND: Feline parvovirus (FPV) is a common and potentially lethal infectious agent in cats. OBJECTIVE: To assess the prognostic value of age, neuter status, serum concentrations of serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin, cholesterol and total thyroxine (tT4), and the presence of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) in cats with panleukopenia. ANIMALS: Client-owned cats with FPV infection diagnosed by a positive fecal ELISA test, positive PCR on feces or blood or both. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study. The electronic medical database was searched for cats with FPV infection presented between January 2010 and January 2018. Cats were divided into survivors and nonsurvivors according to their survival status 28 days after hospital admission. The prognostic importance of each variable was investigated univariately and by multivariable Cox's proportional-hazards regression. Finally, receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to identify the best cutoff value for discriminating survivors from nonsurvivors for the statistically significant prognostic predictors identified by multivariable analysis. RESULTS: Seventy cats were enrolled in the study. Multivariable analysis determined that only serum tT4 concentration at hospital admission was significantly (P = .01) associated with survival. A cutoff value of 0.82 µg/dL was identified by ROC curve analysis for serum tT4 concentration in discriminating survivors from nonsurvivors. Sensitivity at this cutoff was 73.9% and specificity was 82.9% (area under the curve, 0.783; 95% confidence interval, 0.668-0.873; P < .0001). CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Serum tT4 concentration at hospital admission has prognostic value in cats with FPV infection.

Concurrent infection of a cat with cowpox virus and feline parvovirus.

Concurrent infection with cowpox and feline parvovirus was diagnosed in a 5-month-old male European Short Hair cat. Microscopical examination of the facial skin, ears and foot pads revealed multifocal to coalescing, ulcerative to necrotizing dermatitis and panniculitis with ballooning epidermal degeneration and eosinophilic cytoplasmic inclusion bodies. Immunohistochemistry, polymerase chain reaction testing and virus isolation confirmed infection with a strain of cowpox virus similar to that isolated from a cat in Germany 5 years previously. Lymphoid tissues were depleted and there was catarrhal enteritis caused by feline parvovirus as confirmed by immunohistochemistry and in-situ hybridization. This co-infection did not result in a more severe and rapid course of the poxvirus-associated disease.

A severe dual infection by feline panleukopenia virus and feline calicivirus in an adult cat.

A dual infection by feline panleukopenia virus (FPV) and feline calicivirus (FCV) in a 7 month-old cat is described. The animal developed a severe illness with depression, anorexia, fever, leucopoenia, nasal and ocular discharge and oral ulcers. Both FPV and FCV were isolated in cell cultures from a rectal swab and the presence of FCV was confimed by polymerase chain reaction. Antibodies to both the viruses were detected in the serum. The severity of the disease induced by the mixed viral infection highlights the need for intensifying FPV vaccination in cats.

Co-infection with feline and canine parvovirus in a cat.

In this study we reported a case of co-infection with canine parvovirus (CPV) type 2a and feline panleukopenia virus (FPV) in a 3-month-old male kitten, with the presence of a parvovirus variant which is a true intermediate between CPV and FPV. The report of a viral variant which contained FPV- and CPV-specific epitopes stresses the importance of the mechanism of multistep mutation in the production of new variants and in the emergence of new viruses. This type of multistep adaptation has already been documented during the emergence of CPV and on the basis of our results, it was hypothesized that CPV had presumably started a new process of readaptation in the feline host, confirming the importance of viral host switching as a mechanism for the emergence of new viruses.

Relevance of feline interferon omega for clinical improvement and reduction of concurrent viral excretion in retrovirus infected cats from a rescue shelter.

Feline Immnunodeficiency (FIV) and Feline Leukemia (FeLV) viruses are common infectious agents in stray cats and shelter environments. Recombinant feline interferon-ω (rFeIFNω) has shown an antiviral action not only against FIV and FeLV but also against herpesvirus (FHV-1) and calicivirus (FCV). Sixteen naturally infected FIV/FeLV cats were followed during rFeIFNω therapy in order to monitor clinical signs and to correlate with excretion of concomitant viruses (FCV, FHV-1, feline coronavirus (FCoV) and parvovirus (FPV)). Cats were submitted to clinical evaluations and concomitant virus excretion assessement. Comparing D0-D65, 10/16 cats improved clinical scores. Of the 10 cats positive for FHV-1 on D0, 4 were negative and 6 reduced viral loads. Of the 11 FCoV positive cats, 9 reduced viral loads. The 13 FCV positive cats and the FPV positive cat were negative on D65. In conclusion, rFeIFNω improves clinical signs and reduces concurrent viral excretion in naturally infected retroviral cats.

Mixed infection by Feline astrovirus and Feline panleukopenia virus in a domestic cat with gastroenteritis and panleukopenia.

Astroviruses are important pathogens of human beings and animals. Feline astroviruses have been identified by electron microscopy in the feces of either asymptomatic or symptomatic cats, and experimental infection with one isolate was shown to induce enteric clinical signs and virus excretion, thus suggesting a possible role as enteric pathogen. However, due to the lack of specific diagnostic assays, feline astroviruses are not included in the diagnostic algorithms of feline infectious diseases, and their role as feline pathogens remains unclear. The present report describes a dual infection by Feline astrovirus and Feline panleukopenia virus in a 4-month-old cat with severe gastroenteritis and panleukopenia. Upon sequence analysis, the Feline astrovirus strain was found to be genetically related to astroviruses identified in human beings and felids.

Study of an attenuated strain of feline infectious enteritis (panleucopaenia) virus. II. Removal of the spread factor by further passaging in tissue culture.

The propensity of an attenuated strain of feline infectious enteritis (panleucopaenia) virus to spread from vaccinated cats affected with intercurrent feline respiratory disease to unvaccinated in-contact cats was eradicated by further passaging of the vaccine virus in tissue culture. No virus was recovered from, and no antibody was found in the sentinel cats in contact with seven vaccinated animals. Thus, a further 27 passages of the vaccine virus in tissue culture has eliminated the spread factor.

Enterocolitis associated with dual infection by Clostridium piliforme and feline panleukopenia virus in three kittens.

Dual infection by Clostridium piliforme and feline panleukopenia virus (FPLV) was found in three kittens. In all cases, we found focal necrosis and desquamation of epithelial cells with occasional neutrophil infiltration in the large intestine. Large filamentous bacilli and spores were observed in the epithelium by using the Warthin-Starry method. Electron microscopy revealed the vegetative forms with characteristic peritrichous flagella and spore forms. Immunohistochemically, these bacilli showed a positive reaction with mouse antisera against the RT and MSK C. piliforme strains. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using cecum specimens demonstrated the 196-bp band specific to C. piliforme 16S rRNA. All three kittens were also diagnosed as FPLV-infected on the basis of the characteristic mucosal lesions, including intranuclear inclusions and PCR study for the FPLV genomic DNA. The PCR techniques are useful for confirming the C. piliforme and FPLV infection in spontaneous cases.