RESUMEN
Over the last years, several outbreaks of virulent systemic feline calicivirus (VS-FCV) infection have been described in the USA and several European countries. The paper describes two outbreaks of VS-FCV infection in cats in Germany. Data concerning clinical, laboratory, and histopathological features ofVS-FCV infection were collected from two outbreaks affecting 55 and 4 cats, respectively. Presence of feline calicivirus was confirmed by PCR followed by sequencing of the PCR-products. Clinical signs were variable, including severe upper respiratory tract infection, dyspnoea, oral and footpad ulceration, facial oedema, enteritis, pneumonia, bleeding disorder, high fever, and icterus. Both outbreaks were characterized by a high mortality rate.The present report describes the first documented outbreaks of VS-FCV infection in cats in Germany. Clinical and histopathological features are comparable to outbreaks described in the USA and Europe. However, phylogenetic analysis of the virus genome suggests that virus strains involved in these outbreaks were different from each other and from virulent strains isolated before, confirming the known genetic variability of FCV.
Asunto(s)
Infecciones por Caliciviridae/veterinaria , Caliciviridae/patogenicidad , Enfermedades de los Gatos/epidemiología , Brotes de Enfermedades/veterinaria , Animales , Caliciviridae/clasificación , Caliciviridae/genética , Caliciviridae/aislamiento & purificación , Infecciones por Caliciviridae/epidemiología , Infecciones por Caliciviridae/patología , Enfermedades de los Gatos/patología , Enfermedades de los Gatos/virología , Gatos , Femenino , Alemania/epidemiología , Masculino , Filogenia , VirulenciaRESUMEN
Natural and experimental infections have shown that cats are susceptible to highly pathogenic avian influenza A virus subtype H5N1 (HPAIV H5N1). Cats can be severely affected and die from the disease, but subclinical infections have also been reported. To learn more about the role of cats in the spread of the virus and about the risk posed to cats, the prevalence of H5N1 virus was examined in 171 cats from areas in Germany and Austria in which birds infected with HPAIV H5N1 had been found. Pharyngeal swabs were examined for H5N1 virus using real-time polymerase chain reaction, and serum samples were tested for antibodies to influenza virus. None of the cats showed evidence of infection with H5N1 virus. Prevalence of H5N1 virus was determined to be <1.8% (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.000000-0.017366); prevalence of antibodies was <2.6% (95% CI: 0.000000-0.025068).
