Exam 2 - Feline Upper Respiratory Tract Infection Flashcards
what does ‘acutely infected’ mean?
recently infected cat that may or may not show clinical signs & the long-term outcome is unclear
what does ‘recovered’ cat mean in regards to upper respiratory infections?
animal is recovered from clinical signs & may or may not still be contagious to other animals
what does ‘carrier’ cat mean in regards to upper respiratory infections?
cat who sheds the infectious agents in absence of clinical signs
what is the etiology of feline herpesvirus?
dsDNA enveloped virus that is fragile in the environment & easily disinfected
T/F: there is very little strain variation within cats with herpes virus & will affect other cats/felidae
true
T/F: once infected with herpes, always infected
true
what is the importance of latent carriers in herpes virus?
nearly all cats become latent carriers, so while clinical signs are absent, stress can lead to recurrence of shedding & potential recrudescent disease
why can cats get calicivirus more than once?
large number of antigenically varied strains with different virulence among strains
what is the etiology of feline calicivirus?
small, unenveloped ssRNA virus that is more durable in the environment than herpes
what helps make calicivirus more successful in terms of virulence?
some cats remain lifelong carriers & the chronic carriers will shed more or less constantly often without clinical signs
what is the recovery & shedding seen with calicivirus?
after recovery from acute infection - most cats will shed for weeks
over time the proportion of shedders declines
T/F: b. bronchiseptica can be both a primary & secondary pathogen in cats
true
when do cats shed b. bronchiseptica?
shedding more likely in cats with clinical signs - stressed out animals, & reinfection in the face of underlying viral infection
T/F: seroprevalence suggests that up to 50% of cats have recent exposure to b. bronchiseptica & 10% are shedding the pathogen at any given time
true
what is the etiology of chlamydophila felis?
primitive bacteria - obligate intracellular, has a cell wall, & lacks essential metabolic pathways
what are the 2 forms of chlamydophila felis?
elementary body in the environment
reticulate body in the host cell
what is the infectious form of chlamydophila felis?
elementary body in the environment - very resistant
what form of chlamydophila felis has no cell wall & replicates by budding/fission?
reticulate body in the host cell
how is chlamydophila felis spread?
conjunctival/ocular secretions, gi/genital mucosa in some adults, & kittens may be exposed at parturition or maternal care
close contact, fomites
T/F: by age 5, infection with chlamydophila felis is unlikely in cats
true
what age animals are typically affected by chlamydophila felis?
young cats - < 1 year
what animals are generally affected by feline URIs?
young cats & feral cats
think immunosuppressed
what is the typical clinical presentation of cats with a URI?
lethargy, inappetence, sneezing, nasal discharge, fever in most cases, conjunctivitis, & ocular discharge
what is associated with the lightening bolt ulcer in cats?
herpes virus - ulcerative keratitis because of direct viral damage
what virus has strains that are associated with pneumonia, polyarthritis, & severe systemic disease?
calicivirus
what virus may be associated with simultaneous illness in the family dog?
bordetella
what organism is strongly associated with conjunctivitis & potential systemic illness?
chlamydophila felis
what virus is associated with ulcerated lesions on the tongue in cats?
calicivirus
why is serology useless in feline URI?
likely all animals have it, so they will have antibodies present
what zoonotic concerns are associated with chlamydophila felis?
c. psittaci is zoonotic
c. pneumoniae - possibly linked to coronary artery disease in humans
what are components of the supportive & symptomatic care for feline URIs?
clean, warm, dry air is especially important for neonates
steam therapy, aromatic foods, plenty of water & rest, & outpatient whenever possible
what medications can be given for a cat with an URI?
doxycycline - pre-made elixir that is smoothly mixed to avoid strictures
ophthalmic oxytetracycline for suspected c. felis conjunctivitis
why may antibiotics be used for cats with URIs?
viral infections can predispose the patient to secondary bacterial infections
T/F: topical ocular antivirals may be used for a patient with herpes keratitis
what is the goal of non-sterilizing immunity?
vaccination lessens duration, severity, or frequency of clinical signs of disease
what vaccines aim for the goal of non-sterilizing immunity?
feline herpesvirus & feline calicivirus
T/F: non-sterilizing immunity parallels vaccines against the flu
true
as far as prevention goes for cats in shelters, what should be the vaccine protocol for preventing URIs?
vaccinate as many as possible & as early as possible after admission
as far as prevention retrovirus-infected cats, what should be the vaccine protocol for preventing URIs?
generally vaccinate with core agents if cats are well & keep them indoors & away from other cats to minimize risks
as far as prevention goes for cats with a history of injection site sarcomas, what should be the vaccine protocol for preventing URIs?
discontinue further injectable vaccines
what principles make a vaccine core?
all cats are at substantial risk of serious disease
an effective vaccine exists
zoonotic potential plays a role
what vaccines are considered core for cats?
rabies, panleukopenia, herpesvirus, & calicivirus
what are the principles of non-core vaccines?
low-level risk for most cats & or mild/moderate disease for most cats
select population at risk
vaccine issues play a role
what vaccines are considered non-core for cats?
FeLV, FIV, bordetella, & chlamydophila felis
T/F: feline URTI vaccines reduce severity & duration of clinical signs
true
why don’t feline URTI vaccines prevent infection?
non-sterilizing immunity is used
vaccinates may still shed infectious agents
vaccinates may become chronic carriers
what is sterilizing immunity?
vaccination completely prevents subsequent infection
what are side effects of IN vaccines?
can induce mild clinical signs which may mimic a URTI
what vaccine is associated with febrile limping syndrome after it’s been given?
calicivirus & c. felis vaccines
T/F: injection site sarcomas are possible in cats from any injection
true
what is the strongest indication for giving a vaccine for chlamydophila felis?
group setting - cattery, colony, household with documented disease history
what products are available for vaccinating against chlamydophila felis?
inactivated adjuvanted & MLV non-adjuvanted
what is the goal when vaccinating for chlamydophila felis?
decrease frequency & severity of disease
how often should vaccines for chlamydophila felis be boostered?
annually
how often should vaccines for calicivirus be boostered?
every 3 years
what products are available for vaccinating against calicivirus?
MLV & inactivated products for SQ & IN routes
generally effective by 9 weeks
when is the final dose of the initial series given when vaccinating against calicivirus?
16-20 weeks old
how often should vaccines for herpes be boostered?
every 3 years
what products are available for vaccinating against herpesvirus?
MLV & inactivated products for SQ & IN routes
generally effective by 9 weeks
