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Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) affects domesticated housecats all over the world, with a significant diversity among the five different subtypes (A, B, C, D & E). FIV has been identified as an endemic disease with a prevalence that varies among geographic locations. In New Zealand the prevalence ranges from 6,8% in clinically healthy cats to 20,9-27,3% in cats with clinical symptoms. There has not been a lot of research on subtype C and because of the high level of diversity even within subtypes, it is very plausible that studies on overseas isolates may not accurately represent the situation in New Zealand. This research determined whether naturally infected New Zealand cats that tested positive for FIV ELISA were really infected with FIV and subtyped the sequence. In total 20 cats who tested positive on FIV with the ELISA were used in this research. Blood from these cats was taken and examined by a Gag PCR and an Env PCR reaction. The Gag PCR failed, so further research was done only on the Env gene. From the 20 samples that were collected, 17 samples were tested positive on the FIV Env PCR. Among the 17 samples analysed from PCR FIV positive cats, subtype C was present in 5 samples and subtype A was prevalent in 1 sample. Although not enough samples were subtyped to make a final conclusion, these present study results add to the finding of other studies that the predominant FIV subtype in New Zealand appears to be subtype C and A. Also determination of the optimal time from infection to harvest of the supernatant with the most produced virus by FIV infected peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC’s) was performed. Healthy PBMC’s were cultured together with FIV infected PBMC’s, a media change was performed every 3-4 days and supernatant was frozen. RNA quantification of the supernatant was performed using a spectrophotometer. In 5 of the 7 samples the RNA concentration increased on day 18 and decreased after that. FIV infected PBMC cultivation without donor

Avian paramyxoviruses (APMVs) cause a significant economic impact on the poultry industry worldwide. There are nine different serotypes of APMVs, which can infect a wide range of avian species. Newcastle disease (ND) is caused by avian paramyxovirus type 1 (APMV-1) with a ICPI above 0,7. Clinical signs seen in birds infected with APMV-1 vary depending on the pathogenicity of the isolate. As signs of disease caused by APMV-1 in different hosts vary significantly, the diagnosis of ND cannot be made based on clinical signs alone. So far no ND outbreak has occurred in New Zealand and all New Zealand isolates of APMV-1 to date have been apathogenic, so New Zealand is regarded free of the virulent form of NDV. However, seroconversion to APMV-1 is occasionally recognized in commercial poultry flocks during the lay period, and APMV-1 have been isolated from wild waterfowl in New Zealand. A limited number of studies have been undertaken to characterize such NZ isolates of APMV-1. For this reason this research had a look at which APMV-1 isolates are circulating in New Zealand. To do so paired cloacal and tracheal swabs were taken from sero-negative layer birds that were introduced into a commercial poultry flock with known exposure to APMV-1. In total 100 birds were sampled: 50 on the first sampling (2 weeks after introduction to the farm), then 25 on the second sampling (a week later) and 25 on the third sampling (another 2 weeks later). In total 22 blood samples were collected for serology at the second and third time point. From the cloacal and tracheal samples RNA was extracted using Qiagen RNeasy columns and the 45 samples taken at the last time point were tested in a real time RT-PCR using a M-gene assay and a L-TET assay. Also 162 samples from chickens and other domestic birds kept on small backyard farms that were at high risk of getting a APMV-1 infection from wild waterfowl, were tested by this real time RT-PCRs. All samples that were tested with the M-gene assay we

A full history of the management practices and the prevalence of upper respiratory tract disease (URTD) at 218 rescue shelters, breeding establishments and private households with five or more cats was recorded. Oropharyngeal and conjunctival swabs and blood samples were taken from 1748 cats. The prevalences of feline herpesvirus (FHV), feline calicivirus (FCV), Chlamydophila felis and Bordetella bronchiseptica were determined by PCR on swab samples. An ELISA was applied to determine the prevalence of antibodies to B bronchiseptica. The rates of detection by PCR of each pathogen in the cats in catteries with and without ongoing URTD were, respectively, FHV 16 per cent and 8 per cent; FCV 47 per cent and 29 per cent; C felis 10 per cent and 3 per cent; and B bronchiseptica 5 per cent and 1·3 per cent; the seroprevalences of B bronchiseptica were 61 per cent and 41 per cent, respectively. There was evidence that FHV, FCV and B bronchiseptica played a role in URTD. The risk factors associated with the disease were less than excellent hygiene, contact with dogs with URTD, and larger numbers of cats in the cattery or household.