7- Pathogens and immune deficiency: feline immunodeficiency virus case example

Question 1

What type of virus is FIV

Answer 1

retrovirus (T lymphotrophic)

Question 2

What is FIV

Answer 2

feline immunodeficiency virus

Question 3

Which cats are most likely have FIV

Answer 3

sexually intact males
feral cats

Question 4

What does FIV attack

Answer 4

T lymphocytes
- mild illness initially as directly affects CD4+

Question 5

Why is there a symptomatic stage of FIV

Answer 5

immune response reduces the circulating load- asymptomatic stage

Question 6

When does chronic FIV occur? (secondary stage)

Answer 6

Adolescence- chronic multiple systemic disease
CD8+ loss in late stage of infection

Question 7

Clinical signs of FIV

Answer 7

No typical clinical signs but cats are present with persisting infections which they should be able to fight off

Weight loss, pyrexia, neurological disease, oral infections, resp infections, enteritis

Question 8

Does a vaccine exist for FIV

Answer 8

Yes but it is not licensed in the UK

Question 9

How is FIV diagnosed

Answer 9

ELISA snap test, PCR