Feline infectious diseases
What are the 2 causes of 95% of cat flu infections? What are 2 other much less common causes of cat flu?
2 main causes of cat flu = feline herpes virus and feline calici virus other less common = chlamydia felis, bordetella bronchiseptica
Prognosis of FIV depends largely on...
Environment and management!
What virus causes FIP?
FCoV (mutated)
Important differences between FIV and FELV?
FELV: young cats of multi cat households, always fatal within a few years once persistent Viraemia, not hard to diagnosis by looking for antigen FIV: disease of old unsocial cats, mortality variable and Prognosis dependent on management, diagnosis by looking for antibody instead of antigen
Most infections with FCoV are benign cases of mild enteritis for a few days so what happens in the case of FIP?
FIP happens when a FCoV infection mutates so it changes from enteric disease to systemic. Virus infected macrophages circulate around the body and cause an immune mediated vasculitis
What retrovirus is a predisposing factor for feline infectious anaemia?
FeLV
There are different subgroups of FeLV, which is the subgroup which is spread between cats?
FeLV A
feline infectious anaemia looks a lot like what other anaemia?
IMHA including positive coombs test
Treatment protocol for panleucopenia? (same as canine parvovirus)
ISOLATION IVFT nursing IV antibiotics anti emetics interferons - if infection picked up quickly
Diagnosis of FIV?
Look for antibody as opposed to antigen Elisa immunoblotting
Can you vaccinate against FIP?
No
Typical history of cats with FIV?
Older cats (long incubation) and unfriendly (spread by biting)
Why is FIP so hard to diagnose?
We cant diagnose FIP by the presence of FCoV because lots of cats get FCoV and never get FIP. We often make presumptive diagnoses on history, clinical signs and blood work as the only way to definitively diagnose is with biopsy which we don't want to do on these v sick cats
A negative oropharyngeal swab will not rule out what kind of infection associated with cat flu?
a negative oropharyngeal swab will not rule out a latent herpes infection. This is why you must swab whilst they are showing clinical signs and shedding virus!!
What is a retrovirus?
a retrovirus is a single stranded RNA virus that once within a host cell undergoes reverse transcription to become DNA which is incorporated into the host genome
Can cats recover from FeLV infection?
can recover from a transient viraemia but not once it is a persistent viraemia - they will die from this within a few years
Typical history of cats which get FIP?
cats less than 2 years old multi cat households
Which cats get cowpox? what does it look like?
cats which hunt. ulcerative lesions on head and neck. zoonosis. usually self limiting. can give antibiotics for secondary infections.
How do you diagnose FeLV? is it easy to diagnose?
easy to diagnose - virus remains at high levels unlike FIV. diagnosis by identification of virus (isolation, immunflourescence, ELISA)
90% of cat flu are caused by 2 viruses which are....
feline herpesvirus feline calicivirus
Two important feline retroviruses?
feline leukaemia virus feline immunodeficiency virus
What are the 3 major vaccinable infections present in the tricat vaccine?
feline panleucopenia virus feline herpes virus feline calici virus
Why is feline infectious anaemia hard to diagnose?
hard to visualise the parasite on smears. requires fresh smears and experience. often cats have low numbers of parasites. PCR needed for asymptomatic infections
You can not distinguish between the 2 causes of cat flu by clinical signs alone but they do have some differences in signs....
herpes virus = URT signs and big emphasis on ocular signs e.g. conjunctivitis, ulcerative keratitis calici virus = URT signs, oral ulceration, viral arthritis, gingivitis, stomatitis
Why are cats so prone to infections? What cats in particular?
multi cat households!!!! high density of cats which all pass viruses between eachother, especially carrier cats.
What are the principle causative agents of feline infectious anaemia?
mycoplasma haemominutum mycoplasma haemofelis
What agent is responsible for feline leprosy?
mycoplasma lepraemurium
Prognosis and treatment for FIP?
no treatment, hopeless prognosis, cats with FIP die
Signs of cat flu?
oronasal infection, oculonasal discharge, sneezing, conjunctivitis, Inappetance, fever
How is feline leukaemia virus transmitted between cats?
oronasal transmission - transmitted between social cats (MCHs) by mutual grooming
How do you diagnose the cause of a cat flu case?
oropharyngeal swab and virus isolation/ PCR
How do you diagnose between the 2 causes of cat flu?
oropharyngeal swabs and then isolation/PCR
What are the different clinical syndromes you can get with panleucopenia virus depending on age/state when infected?
pregnant <21 days = abortion pregnant >21 days = cerebellar hypoplasia kittens = sudden death cats = feline infectious enteritis and severe panleucopenia (D+, V+, fever, anorexia, secondary bacterial infection)
Panleucopenia virus has a tropism for which kinds of cells?
rapidly dividing cells!!
Feline infectious anaemia - regnerative or non regenerative?
regenerative generally
The most common neoplasm associated with FeLV?
thymic lymphoma
What is a very effective means of controlling feline panleucopenia?
vaccination!!!
How do you diagnose panleucopenia?
virus isolation from faeces or oropharyngeal swabs PCR serology canine parvo snap test seems to work PM exam shows characteristic pathology
What are the 2 clinical syndromes of FIP?
wet (effusive) and dry (non-effusive)
Why do swabs for cat flu diagnosis need to be taken when the cat is showing clinical signs?
you won't detect latent herpes via this method (doesn't show clinical signs when latent)
Typical history of cats which get feline leukaemia virus?
young cats of multicat households
