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Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a complex immune-mediated disease caused by feline coronavirus (FCoV). Despite advancements in understanding its pathogenesis, challenges persist in elucidating viral factors related to virion composition and replication. This study examined FCoV-infected cats with and without FIP for potential associations with or variation in expression ratios for different viral genes. We analyzed tissue samples with FIP lesions from 46 cats with FIP and mesenteric lymph nodes from 10 FCoV-infected cats (7b RT-qPCR positive) without FIP with three RT-qPCR assays, targeting (sub)-genomic RNAs of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and envelope (E) genes. In cats with FIP, the RdRp mRNA assay yielded the highest copy numbers, followed by the combined RdRp gRNA and mRNA assay; the E mRNA assay yielded the lowest copy numbers. In cats without FIP, significantly fewer viral RNA copies were detected regardless of the assay. Viral gene expression was not detected in six and was observed only at low levels in one or more assays in four samples. The observed correlation between assays and the intragroup correlation assay indicate consistent transcription of both the structural E protein and RdRp genes within FIP lesions in cats with FIP but not in cats with systemic FCoV infection alone. more...

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a fatal disease in cats caused by infection with feline coronavirus (FCoV). Despite severe inflammatory changes, defense mechanisms fail to achieve virus clearance. Some studies focused on various immune evasion mechanisms, but none of these studies elucidated the inefficacy of the complement system, which is one major player in FIP-associated immune pathogenesis. This study aimed to investigate the involvement of complement-regulating factors (CRFs). CRFs help modulate the immune response and prevent host tissue damage. Archived tissue samples from 31 deceased, FIP-affected cats were evaluated using multiplex immunohistochemistry for the spatial expression of the complement-regulating factors CD46 and CD59 in association with FIP lesions and their colocalization with complement-activating factor C1q and membrane attack complex C9 in relation to the presence and proximity of FCoV-infected cells. The FIP lesions of all 31 cats exhibited marked expression of both complement-regulating factors in proximity to FCoV-infected macrophages. Moreover, their expression in all 31 animals was significantly lower than the expression of the complement-activating factors C1q and C9 compared to areas farther distal to FCoV-infected cells. In conclusion, FCoV-infected macrophages in cats with FIP appear to use autocrine and paracrine expression of complement-regulating factors in their immediate environment to shield themselves from destruction by the complement system. more...

In the past, feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) caused by feline coronavirus (FCoV) was considered fatal. Today, highly efficient drugs, such as GS-441524, can lead to complete remission. The currently recommended treatment duration in the veterinary literature is 84 days. This prospective randomized controlled treatment study aimed to evaluate whether a shorter treatment duration of 42 days with oral GS-441524 obtained from a licensed pharmacy is equally effective compared to the 84-day regimen. Forty cats with FIP with effusion were prospectively included and randomized to receive 15 mg/kg of GS-441524 orally every 24h (q24h), for either 42 or 84 days. Cats were followed for 168 days after treatment initiation. With the exception of two cats that died during the treatment, 38 cats (19 in short, 19 in long treatment group) recovered with rapid improvement of clinical and laboratory parameters as well as a remarkable reduction in viral loads in blood and effusion. Orally administered GS-441524 given as a short treatment was highly effective in curing FIP without causing serious adverse effects. All cats that completed the short treatment course successfully were still in complete remission on day 168. Therefore, a shorter treatment duration of 42 days GS-441524 15 mg/kg can be considered equally effective., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. The GS-441524 tablets were provided by BOVA Specials, London, UK, but BOVA played no role in the interpretation of study data or the decision to submit the manuscript for publication. No commercial conflict of interest exists as the information is solely for scientific dissemination. more...

Until recently, the diagnosis of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) in cats usually led to euthanasia, but recent research has revealed that antiviral drugs, including the nucleoside analog GS-441524, have the potential to effectively cure FIP. Alpha-1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) has been suggested as a diagnostic marker for FIP. However, AGP quantification methods are not easily accessible. This study aimed to establish a Spatial Proximity Analyte Reagent Capture Luminescence (SPARCL TM ) assay on the VetBio-1 analyzer to determine the AGP concentrations in feline serum and effusion samples. Linearity was found in serial dilutions between 1:2000 and 1:32,000; the intra-run and inter-run precision was <5% and <15%, respectively; and AGP was stable in serum stored for at least 8 days at room temperature, at 4 °C and at -20 °C. Cats with confirmed FIP had significantly higher serum AGP concentrations (median: 2954 µg/mL (range: 200-5861 µg/mL)) than those with other inflammatory diseases (median: 1734 µg/mL (305-3449 µg/mL)) and clinically healthy cats (median 235 µg/mL (range: 78-616 µg/mL); p KW < 0.0001). The AGP concentrations were significantly higher in the effusions from cats with FIP than in those from diseased cats without FIP ( p MWU < 0.0001). The AGP concentrations in the serum of cats with FIP undergoing GS-441524 treatment showed a significant drop within the first seven days of treatment and reached normal levels after ~14 days. In conclusion, the VetBio-1 SPARCL TM assay offers a precise, fast and cost-effective method to measure the AGP concentrations in serum and effusion samples of feline patients. The monitoring of the AGP concentration throughout FIP treatment provides a valuable marker to evaluate the treatment's effectiveness and identify potential relapses at an early stage. more...

Directive 2010/63/EU of the European Parliament and the Council of 22 September 2010 states that at the end of a procedure, the most appropriate decision on the future of an animal previously used or intended for use in scientific procedures should be taken on the basis of animal welfare and potential risks to the environment. Member States may allow animals to be rehomed provided the health of the animal allows it, there is no danger to public health, animal health or the environment and if appropriate measures have been taken to safeguard the wellbeing of the animal. In countries where rehoming is permitted, it is the responsibility of the Animal Welfare Body to advise on a rehoming scheme which must include appropriate socialization in order to help facilitate successful rehoming, avoid unnecessary distress to the animals and guarantee public safety. This paper reviews the EU legislation, existing guidance, current literature and best practice to define rehoming, sets out general considerations for rehoming laboratory animals including socialization and provides practical advice on the steps required in a rehoming scheme. For those species most frequently rehomed, more detailed species-specific sections are included., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. more...

Rehoming is an important fate, which should be considered for animals used for scientific and educational purposes, and which is highlighted in the European Directive 2010/63 EU. In 2018, the Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations (FELASA) convened a working group to review current literature and identify existing practices with the aim of issuing general recommendations on the rehoming of research animals. In order to understand the number and species of animals being rehomed and which species and information to include in the recommendations, the working group launched a survey that was distributed among FELASA members, yielding 97 valid records for analysis. Most respondents of the survey considered the rehoming of cats, dogs, mice, rats, rabbits, pigs and minipigs. The most important issues reported by the respondents were related to availability/suitability of animals, availability of adopters and legal issues. Based on the data and information collected in this survey, the working group decided on the format and content of the future recommendations: a first section containing a general protocol for rehoming, addressing the issues raised by the respondents, and a second section containing species-specific information and advice about cats, dogs, small prey mammals, equines, primates, camelids and minipigs., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. more...

Objectives: Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), a common disease in cats caused by feline coronavirus (FCoV), is usually fatal once clinical signs appear. Successful treatment of FIP with oral GS-441524 for 84 days was demonstrated recently by this research group. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term outcome in these cats., Methods: A total of 18 successfully treated cats were followed for up to 1 year after treatment initiation (9 months after completion of the antiviral treatment). Follow-up examinations were performed at 12-week intervals, including physical examination, haematology, serum biochemistry, abdominal and thoracic ultrasound, FCoV ribonucleic acid (RNA) loads in blood and faeces by reverse transciptase-quantitative PCR and anti-FCoV antibody titres by indirect immunofluorescence assay., Results: Follow-up data were available from 18 cats in week 24, from 15 cats in week 36 and from 14 cats in week 48 (after the start of treatment), respectively. Laboratory parameters remained stable after the end of the treatment, with undetectable blood viral loads (in all but one cat on one occasion). Recurrence of faecal FCoV shedding was detected in five cats. In four cats, an intermediate short-term rise in anti-FCoV antibody titres was detected. In total, 12 cats showed abdominal lymphadenomegaly during the follow-up period; four of them continuously during the treatment and follow-up period. Two cats developed mild neurological signs, compatible with feline hyperaesthesia syndrome, in weeks 36 and 48, respectively; however, FCoV RNA remained undetectable in blood and faeces, and no increase in anti-FCoV antibody titres was observed in these two cats, and the signs resolved., Conclusions and Relevance: Treatment with GS-441524 proved to be effective against FIP in both the short term as well as the long term, with no confirmed relapse during the 1-year follow-up period. Whether delayed neurological signs could be a long-term adverse effect of the treatment or associated with a 'long FIP syndrome' needs to be further evaluated. more...

This is the first report on a clinical follow-up and postmortem examination of a cat that had been cured of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) with ocular manifestation by successful treatment with an oral multicomponent drug containing GS-441524. The cat was 6 months old when clinical signs (recurrent fever, lethargy, lack of appetite, and fulminant anterior uveitis) appeared. FIP was diagnosed by ocular tissue immunohistochemistry after enucleation of the affected eye. The cat was a participant in a FIP treatment study, which was published recently. However, 240 days after leaving the clinic healthy, and 164 days after the end of the 84 days of treatment, the cured cat died in a road traffic accident. Upon full postmortem examination, including histopathology and immunohistochemistry, there were no residual FIP lesions observed apart from a generalized lymphadenopathy due to massive lymphoid hyperplasia. Neither feline coronavirus (FCoV) RNA nor FCoV antigen were identified by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and immunohistochemistry, respectively, in any tissues or body fluids, including feces. These results prove that oral treatment with GS-441524 leads to the cure of FIP-associated changes and the elimination of FCoV from all tissues. more...

As previously demonstrated by our research group, the oral multicomponent drug Xraphconn ® containing GS-441524 was effective at curing otherwise fatal feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) in 18 feline coronavirus (FCoV)-infected cats. The aims of the current study were to investigate, using samples from the same animals as in the previous study, (1) the effect of treatment on fecal viral RNA shedding; (2) the presence of spike gene mutations in different body compartments of these cats; and (3) viral RNA shedding, presence of spike gene mutations, and anti-FCoV antibody titers in samples of 12 companion cats cohabitating with the treated cats. Eleven of the eighteen treated FIP cats (61%) were shedding FCoV RNA in feces within the first three days after treatment initiation, but all of them tested negative by day 6. In one of these cats, fecal shedding reoccurred on day 83. Two cats initially negative in feces were transiently positive 1-4 weeks into the study. The remaining five cats never shed FCoV. Viral RNA loads in feces decreased with time comparable with those in blood and effusion. Specific spike gene mutations linked to systemic FCoV spread were consistently found in blood and effusion from treated FIP cats, but not in feces from treated or companion cats. A new mutation that led to a not yet described amino acid change was identified, indicating that further mutations may be involved in the development of FIP. Eight of the twelve companion cats shed FCoV in feces. All but one of the twelve companion cats had anti-FCoV antibodies. Oral treatment with GS-441524 effectively decreased viral RNA loads in feces, blood, and effusion in cats with FIP. Nonetheless, re-shedding can most likely occur if cats are re-exposed to FCoV by their companion cats. more...

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) caused by feline coronavirus (FCoV) is a common dis-ease in cats, fatal if untreated, and no effective treatment is currently legally available. The aim of this study was to evaluate efficacy and toxicity of the multi-component drug Xraphconn ® in vitro and as oral treatment in cats with spontaneous FIP by examining survival rate, development of clinical and laboratory parameters, viral loads, anti-FCoV antibodies, and adverse effects. Mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance identified GS-441524 as an active component of Xraphconn ® . Eighteen cats with FIP were prospectively followed up while being treated orally for 84 days. Values of key parameters on each examination day were compared to values before treatment initiation using linear mixed-effect models. Xraphconn ® displayed high virucidal activity in cell culture. All cats recovered with dramatic improvement of clinical and laboratory parameters and massive reduction in viral loads within the first few days of treatment without serious adverse effects. Oral treatment with Xraphconn ® containing GS-441524 was highly effective for FIP without causing serious adverse effects. This drug is an excellent option for the oral treatment of FIP and should be trialed as potential effective treatment option for other severe coronavirus-associated diseases across species. more...

Feline calicivirus (FCV) is a common cat virus associated with oral ulcerations and virulent-systemic disease. Efficacious FCV vaccines protect against severe disease but not against infection. The high genetic diversity of FCV poses a challenge in vaccine design. Protection against FCV has been related to humoral and cellular immunity; the latter has not been studied in detail. This study investigates the cellular and humoral immune response of specified pathogen-free (SPF) cats after modified-live FCV F9 vaccinations and two heterologous FCV challenges by the analysis of lymphocyte subsets, cytokine mRNA transcription levels, interferon (IFN)-γ release assays in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), anti-FCV antibodies, and neutralisation activity. Vaccinated cats developed a Th1 cytokine response after vaccination. Vaccination resulted in antibodies with neutralising activity against the vaccine but not the challenge viruses. Remarkably, IFN-γ-releasing PBMCs were detected in vaccinated cats upon stimulation with the vaccine strain and the first heterologous FCV challenge strain. After the first experimental infection, the mRNA transcription levels of perforin, granzyme B, INF-γ, and antiviral factor MX1 and the number of IFN-γ-releasing PBMCs when stimulated with the first challenge virus were higher in vaccinated cats compared to control cats. The first FCV challenge induced crossneutralising antibodies in all cats against the second challenge virus. Before the second challenge, vaccinated cats had a higher number of IFN-γ-releasing PBMCs when stimulated with the second challenge virus than control cats. After the second FCV challenge, there were less significant differences detected between the groups regarding lymphocyte subsets and cytokine mRNA transcription levels. In conclusion, modified-live FCV vaccination induced cellular but not humoral crossimmunity in SPF cats; innate immune mechanisms, secretory and membranolytic pathways, and IFN-γ-releasing PBMCs seem to be important in the host immune defence against FCV. more...

Feline calicivirus (FCV) is a common cat virus causing clinical signs such as oral ulcerations, fever, reduced general condition, pneumonia, limping and occasionally virulent-systemic disease. Efficacious FCV vaccines protect against severe disease but not against infection. FCV is a highly mutagenic RNA virus whose high genetic diversity poses a challenge in vaccine design. The use of only one modified-live FCV strain over several decades might have driven the viral evolution towards more vaccine-resistant variants. The present study investigated the clinical signs, duration, and amount of FCV shedding, RNAemia, haematological changes and acute phase protein reaction in SPF cats after subcutaneous modified-live single strain FCV vaccination or placebo injection and two subsequent oronasal heterologous FCV challenge infections with two different field strains. Neither clinical signs nor FCV shedding from the oropharynx and FCV RNAemia were detected after vaccination. After the first experimental infection, vaccinated cats had significantly lower clinical scores, less increased body temperature and lower acute phase protein levels than control cats. The viral RNA loads from the oropharynx and duration and amount of RNAemia were significantly lower in the vaccinated animals. No clinical signs were observed in any of the cats after the second experimental infection. In conclusion, FCV vaccination was beneficial for protecting cats from severe clinical signs, reducing viral loads and inflammation after FCV challenge. more...

Feline calicivirus (FCV) can cause painful oral ulcerations, salivation, gingivitis/stomatitis, fever and depression in infected cats; highly virulent virus variants can lead to fatal epizootic outbreaks. Viral transmission occurs directly or indirectly via fomites. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence and viability of FCV in the environment after sequential oronasal infections of specified pathogen-free cats with two FCV field strains in a research facility. Replicating virus was detected in saliva swabs from all ten cats after the first and in four out of ten cats after the second FCV exposure using virus isolation to identify FCV shedders. In the environment, where cleaning, but no disinfection took place, FCV viral RNA was detectable using RT-qPCR on all tested items and surfaces, including cat hair. However, only very limited evidence was found of replicating virus using virus isolation. Viral RNA remained demonstrable for at least 28 days after shedding had ceased in all cats. Disinfection with 5% sodium bicarbonate (and Incidin TM Plus) and barrier measures were effective in that no viral RNA was detectable outside the cat rooms. Our findings are important for any multicat environment to optimize hygienic measures against FCV infection. more...

Mycoplasma haemofelis is the most pathogenic feline hemoplasma species and a causative agent of infectious hemolytic anemia in cats. Current treatment protocols are effective in reducing M. haemofelis blood loads and clinical signs but consistent bacteremia clearance is rarely achieved. The aim of this study was to develop an antibiotic treatment protocol capable of clearing M. haemofelis bacteremia. Doxycycline and marbofloxacin treatment protocols were evaluated in chronically M. haemofelis infected cats in two pre-experiments and a controlled treatment study (main experiment) using five treated and four untreated cats. The blood bacterial loads in the main experiment were monitored weekly by real-time PCR for 203 days. Cats were treated with doxycycline (5 mg/kg bid orally) for 28 days. Cats that remained M. haemofelis PCR-positive or became positive again (all 5 cats in the main experiment) were switched to marbofloxacin treatment (2 mg/kg sid orally) for 14 days; then, all cats were PCR-negative. Immunosuppression after the antibiotic treatment did not lead to reactivation of bacteremia. Fine needle aspirates of different organs and bone marrow collected before and after immunosuppression were PCR-negative. Overall, 5 cats cleared bacteremia with doxycycline alone (showing lower bacterial loads at the treatment start), while 10 cats needed to be switched to marbofloxacin. Based on our results, we recommend doxycycline treatment (10 mg/kg up to 28 days) for clearance of M. haemofelis infection and monitoring bacterial loads by real-time PCR. Only if bacteremia persists or reoccurs, antibiotic treatment should be switched to marbofloxacin (2 mg/kg sid for 14 days)., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.) more...

Feline caliciviruses (FCVs) are non-enveloped RNA viruses that exhibit high genetic variation. Two reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) FCV assays (S1 and S2) were evaluated using samples from 300 field cats. The direct detection of FCV in swabs and after propagation in cell culture, as well as the influence of storage conditions, was assessed. FCV-RNA detectability on dry swabs was similar after storage at either 4°C or -20°C, but viral burdens were maintained for a longer time period when viral transport medium was used. A total of 97 (32%) samples was considered FCV PCR-positive. Of these, 81% and 77% tested positive directly from swabs using S1 and S2, respectively; 84% and 81% tested positive after enrichment in cell culture, respectively. Combined detection by RT-PCR directly from swabs and after VI was most sensitive (up to 96%). Neither of the methods alone were able to detect all FCV-positive samples. In conclusion, clinical samples should be collected in viral transport medium, stored at ≤4°C and processed as soon as possible. The combination of cell culture with RT-qPCR or detection directly from swabs using a combination of different RT-qPCR assays is recommended to reach a high sensitivity of FCV detection., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.) more...

Background: Leptospirosis is a re-emerging bacterial zoonosis caused by spirochetes of the genus Leptospira. Severe disease has been reported in dogs in Europe despite vaccination with bivalent Leptospira vaccines. Recently, a tetravalent canine Leptospira vaccine (Nobivac® L4) was licenced in Europe. The goal of this study was to investigate clinical signs, microscopic agglutination test (MAT) titres, haematology, blood biochemistry, cardiac (c) Troponin I levels and echocardiography before and after vaccination with this tetravalent vaccine. Forty-eight healthy dogs were prospectively enrolled and vaccinated twice, 3-4 weeks apart (T0 and T1). Before vaccination (T0) and 16-31 days after the second vaccination (T2), MAT (n = 48), haematology (n = 48), blood biochemistry (n = 36) and cTroponin I measurements (n = 29) were performed, and MAT was repeated 347-413 days after the second vaccination (T3, n = 44). Echocardiography was performed before the first and second vaccination (T0 and T1, n = 24)., Results: Mild and transient clinical signs within 5 days following the first and second vaccination occurred in 23% and 10% of the dogs, respectively. Before the first vaccination (T0), all dogs showed negative MAT titres for the tested serovars except for Canicola (50% with titres 100-400). At T2, positive MAT titres to the serovars Canicola (100%), Australis (89%), Grippotyphosa (86%), Bratislava (60%), Autumnalis (58%), Copenhageni (42%), Pomona (12%), Pyrogenes (8%) and Icterohaemorrhagiae (2%) were found. Median to high titres (≥ 400) were most common to the serovar Canicola (92%) and less common to the serovars Australis (41%), Grippotyphosa (21%), Bratislava (12%), Autumnalis (4%), Pyrogenes (4%) and Pomona (2%). At T3, positive MAT titres (titre range: 100-400) were found in 2-18% of the dogs to serovars of the vaccine serogroups and in 2-18% of the dogs to the non-vaccine serovars Pomona, Autumnalis, Pyrogenes and Ballum. Haematology, blood biochemistry, cTroponin I levels and echocardiography results did not change significantly following vaccination., Conclusions: Clinical signs following vaccination with Nobivac® L4 were transient and mild in all cases. Seroconversion differed considerably among individual dogs and among the vaccine serogroups. more...

Feline calicivirus (FCV) is a common viral pathogen in domestic cats worldwide. The variable regions of the capsid (VP1) gene of FCV have one of the highest recorded rates of molecular evolution. Understanding the genetic diversity and phylogeny of FCV is a prerequisite to exploring the epidemiology and pathogenesis of this virus and to the development of efficacious vaccine strategies. In this study, we undertook a nationwide molecular characterization of FCV using for the first time nearly complete capsid (VP1) gene sequences. Sequences from 66 FCV samples were used to investigate the correlation between viral phylogeny and several traits, including geographic origin, signalment, husbandry, FCV vaccination and co-infections. Codon-based nucleotide alignment showed that individual nucleotides and their corresponding amino acid sites were either invariant or highly variable. Using a threshold of 20 % genetic distance in variable region E, FCV samples were grouped into 52 strains, 10 of which comprised two to three samples. Significant associations between FCV phylogeny and host characteristics were found, specifically the pedigree status of the cats, and two well-supported lineages were identified in which the current FCV strain definition was confounded. No correlation between viral genetic distances and geographic distances was evident. The greater resolution of the FCV phylogeny in this study compared to previous studies can be attributed to our use of more conserved regions of the capsid (VP1) gene; nonetheless, our results were still hampered by sequence saturation. The study highlights the need for whole-genome sequences for FCV phylogeny studies. more...

Mycoplasma haemofelis (Mhf) is the most pathogenic feline hemotropic mycoplasma. Cats infected with Mhf that clear bacteremia are protected from Mhf reinfection, but the mechanisms of protective immunity are unresolved. In the present study we investigated whether the passive transfer of antibodies from Mhf-recovered cats to naïve recipient cats provided protection against bacteremia and clinical disease following homologous challenge with Mhf; moreover, we characterized the immune response in the recipient cats. Ten specified pathogen-free (SPF) cats were transfused with pooled plasma from cats that had cleared Mhf bacteremia; five control cats received plasma from naïve SPF cats. After homologous challenge with Mhf, cats were monitored for 100 days using quantitative PCR, hematology, blood biochemistry, Coombs testing, flow cytometry, DnaK ELISA, and red blood cell (RBC) osmotic fragility (OF) measurement. Passively immunized cats were not protected against Mhf infection but, compared to control cats, showed significantly higher RBC OF and B lymphocyte (CD45R/B220(+)) counts and occasionally higher lymphocyte, monocyte and activated CD4(+) T lymphocyte (CD4(+)CD25(+)) counts; they also showed higher bilirubin, total protein and globulin levels compared to those of control cats. At times of peak bacteremia, a decrease in eosinophils and lymphocytes, as well as subsets thereof (B lymphocytes and CD5(+), CD4(+) and CD8(+) T lymphocytes), and an increase in monocytes were particularly significant in the passively immunized cats. In conclusion, passive immunization does not prevent bacteremia and clinical disease following homologous challenge with Mhf, but enhances RBC osmotic fragility and induces a pronounced immune response. more...

Feline calicivirus (FCV) infections are associated with oral ulceration, chronic stomatitis and a limping syndrome. Epizootic outbreaks of virulent systemic disease (VSD) have been reported in the USA and Europe. Here, the molecular characterization and neutralization patterns of FCV isolates from cases of severe, non-epizootic infection associated with skin ulceration and edema are presented. Samples from eleven symptomatic cats, four in-contact cats and 27 cats with no contact with symptomatic cats were collected and tested for FCV, feline herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1), feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). Phylogenetic analyses based on the capsid (VP1) gene of FCV and virus neutralization with antisera raised against four FCV vaccine strains were performed. Nine kittens and two adult cats in two shelters and two veterinary clinics in four geographically distinct locations in Switzerland and Liechtenstein were affected. The cats showed fever, tongue and skin ulceration, head and paw edema, and occasionally jaundice, generalized edema and dyspnea. All symptomatic cats tested FCV-positive but were negative for FHV-1, FeLV and FIV, with the exception of one FIV-positive kitten. All kittens of one litter and both adult cats died. The disease did not spread to cats in the environment. Cats in the environment displayed phylogenetically distinct, but related, FCV strains. Virus neutralization patterns suggested that some cases might have been potentially prevented by vaccination with the optimal vaccine strain. In conclusion, clinicians should be aware of severe, non-epizootic forms of FCV infections with initial clinical presentations similar to VSD., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.) more...

Background: Canine distemper virus (CDV) is a major pathogen of dogs and wild carnivores worldwide. In Switzerland, distemper in domestic dogs is rarely reported. In recent years, the import of dogs from Eastern Europe to Switzerland has steadily increased. In the present study, we describe a distemper outbreak in 15 rescue dogs that were imported from Hungary to Switzerland by an animal welfare organisation. The data on vaccination and medical history were recorded (14 dogs), and the samples were collected to investigate CDV and vector-borne infections (13 dogs) and canine parvovirus infection (12 dogs). The dogs were monitored for six months., Results: One dog was euthanised directly after import. Thirteen dogs showed clinical signs after arrival, i.e., diarrhoea (57 %), coughing (43 %) and nasal and/or ocular discharge (21 %); radiographic findings that were compatible with bronchopneumonia were present in four dogs. CDV infection was diagnosed in 11 dogs (85 %); 10 dogs (91 %) tested PCR-positive in conjunctival swabs. Vector-borne infections (Babesia spp., Leishmania infantum, Dirofilaria immitis) were found in 4 dogs (31 %). Three dogs were hospitalized, and six dogs received ambulatory therapy for up to two months until recovery. None of the dogs developed neurological disease. CDV shedding was detected for a period of up to four months. Because dogs were put under strict quarantine until CDV shedding ceased, CDV did not spread to any other dogs. The CDV isolates showed 99 % sequence identity in the HA gene among each other and belonged to the Arctic-like lineage of CDV., Conclusions: The present study highlights the imminent risks of spreading contagious viral and vector-borne infections through the non-selective import of sick dogs and dogs with incomplete vaccination from Eastern Europe. CDV shedding was detected for several months after the cessation of clinical signs, which emphasised the roles of asymptomatic carriers in CDV epidemiology. A long-term follow-up using sensitive PCR and strict quarantine measures is of upmost importance in preventing the spread of infection. Dog owners and animal welfare organisations should be educated regarding the importance of complete vaccinations and the impact of dog imports on the spread of viral and vector-borne pathogens. more...

Therapeutic vaccinations have a potential application in infections where no curative treatment is available. In contrast to HIV, efficacious vaccines for a cat retrovirus, feline leukemia virus (FeLV), are commercially available. However, the infection is still prevalent, and no effective treatment of the infection is known. By vaccinating persistently FeLV-infected cats and presenting FeLV antigens to the immune system of the host, e.g., in the form of recombinant and/or adjuvanted antigens, we intended to shift the balance toward an advantage of the host so that persistent infection could be overcome by the infected cat. Two commercially available FeLV vaccines efficacious in protecting naïve cats from FeLV infection were tested in six experimentally and persistently FeLV-infected cats: first, a canarypox-vectored vaccine, and second, an adjuvanted, recombinant envelope vaccine was repeatedly administered with the aim to stimulate the immune system. No beneficial effects on p27 antigen and plasma viral RNA loads, anti-FeLV antibodies, or life expectancy of the cats were detected. The cats were unable to overcome or decrease viremia. Some cats developed antibodies to FeLV antigens although not protective. Thus, we cannot recommend vaccinating persistently FeLV-infected cats as a means of improving their FeLV status, quality of life or life expectancy. We suggest testing of all cats for FeLV infection prior to FeLV vaccination., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.) more...