3. CATS: Feline leukemia virus infection FeLV (RETROVIRUS)

Question 1

disease

Answer 1

-contagious disease of cats

-feline leukemia virus (FeLV) infection

Question 2

caused by

Answer 2

Retrovirus

Question 3

characterized by

Answer 3

immunosuppression, myelosuppression and neoplasia

Question 4

agent, genus, family

Answer 4

-agent: feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)

> family: Retroviridae

> RNA virus

> 3 SUBgroups

Question 5

subgroups

Answer 5

3 subgroups (A,B and C)
-A - present in ALL infected cats

-B- common in cats WITH NEOPLASIA

-C-rare, can CAUSE nonregenerative ANEMIA

Question 6

sensitivity

Answer 6

-virus is highly sensitive to desiccation, disinfectants and heat

> susceptible to most common disinfectants , incl. common soap

Question 7

survives only

Answer 7

minutes outside host

Question 8

HR

Answer 8

-domestic cats

> rarely wild felids

Question 9

young cats less than 1 year old are

Answer 9

more likely to become PERSISTENTLY viremic

Question 10

more in

Answer 10

males than females

Question 11

free-roaming cats

Answer 11

more likely to be exposed

Question 12

latent carriers?

Answer 12

YES

Question 13

found

Answer 13

worldwide

Question 14

transmission: excretion

Answer 14

-saliva

-blood

Question 15

ways of transmission

Answer 15

-direct contact

-in utero

Question 16

transmission: route

Answer 16

-alimentary (grooming)

-transplacental

Question 17

IP

Answer 17

-months (or even years)

Question 18

CS signs often nonspecific

Answer 18

-poor body condition

-depression

-weakness

-lymphadenopathy

Question 19

signs are due to

Answer 19

-IMMUNOSUPPRESSION with secondary infection

-MYELOSUPPRESSION (mainly non-regenerative anemia)

-or NEOPLASIA (mainly lymphoma)

Question 20

CS: due lymphoma

Answer 20

-dyspnea-mediastinal mass and pleural effusion

-diarrhea-intestinal lymphoma

-vomiting-renal failure due renal lymphoma

-icterus - hepatic lymphoma

Question 21

CS: ‘‘fading kitten syndrome’’

Answer 21

DEATH with first 2 weeks of life

Question 22

DDx

Answer 22

-FIV

-IBD (inflammatory bowel disease)

Question 23

diagnosis: material

Answer 23

-BLOOD

Question 24

diagnosis: in the lab

Answer 24

-antigen ELISA and IFA
> ELISA is more sensitive and detects viremia earlier >
>both positive: infection more than 3 weeks
>ELISA positive, IFA negative: infection less than 3 weeks - retest, latently infected cats are negative for both
=IFA=ImmunoFluorescenceAntigen test

-blood smears

-PCR

Question 25

Tx

Answer 25

-ABs if secondary infection

> keep cat indoors to prevent secondary infections

Question 26

diagnosis of FeLV is NOT

Answer 26

-reason for euthanasia

> infected cats can live several years with good quality of life

Question 27

prevention

Answer 27

-keep cats indoors

-vaccination

Question 28

vaccination?

Answer 28

yes