Feline Infectious Disease Lecture Review Flashcards
Etiology of Feline Upper Respiratory Tract Disease
Viral: Feline herpes virus type 1 = Feline Rhinotracheitis (FVR)
Viral: Feline Calicivirus (FCV)
Bacterial: Chlamydia felis, Mycoplasma felis = Feline Pneumonitis
clinical signs feline upper respiratory tract disease
fever (103-105), frequent sneezing, conjunctivitis, rhinitis, and often salivation.
depression and anorexia
Severely debilitated cats may develop ulcerative stomatitis, and ulcerative keratitis develops in some
transmission feline upper respiratory tract disease
Direct Contact: Natural transmission of these agents occurs via aerosol droplets and fomites, which can be carried to a susceptible cat by a handler.
The characteristic lesion caused by Feline Calcicvirus is ________________________________
ulceration of the oral mucosa
The (FVR”, or feline viral rhinotracheitis seen in Feline URI is typically attributed to
feline herpes virus type 1
A diagnosis of feline URI is typically done by
It is usually a presumptive Dx. based on history, clinical signs, signalment
treatment of feline URI
Treatment is largely symptomatic and supportive, but broad-spectrum antibiotics are useful against secondary bacterial invaders
Nebulization or saline nose drops
Ophthalmic ointment containing antibiotics
Lysine (250 mg, PO, bid-tid) interferes with herpetic viral replication and may reduce the severity of FVR infection
Antihistamines may be beneficial early in the course of the disease
The feline CORE vaccine FVRCP stands for:
FVR (Herpes Rhinotracheitis)
C Calicivirus
P Panleukopenia
In what incidence might a clinician use the FVRCP+Ch vaccine
catteries/shelters
What does the “Ch” stand for in the FVRCP+Ch vaccine
Chlamydia felis
What is the appropriate age to begin vaccination in a kitten
Typically 6-8 weeks pf age
What is the recommended protocol for FVRCP vaccination in a kitten?
a kitten should receive their first FVRCP vaccination at around 6-8 weeks old then have a booster shot every three until they are about 16-20 weeks old.
After that the kitten will need another booster when they are just over a year old, then every 1-3 years, based on risk.
In addition to vaccination with FVRCP (+/- Ch), what are some preventive measures that decrease this disease in cats?
Vaccination
Husbandry
Sanitation
**Systematic vaccination and control of environmental factors (such as exposure to sick cats, overcrowding, and stress) provide good protection against upper respiratory disease.
Panleukopenia is to cats, as ______________ is to dogs.
Parvo
clinical signs feline panleukopenia
Pathognomonic Sign: GI disease with panleukopenia
*Most infections are subclinical or self-limiting (5-7 days)
Cats that become ill are usually <1 yr old (3-5 month old kittens); Peracute cases may die suddenly with little or no warning (fading kittens).
transmission feline panleukopenia
Horizontal– Direct transmission: cats are infected oronasally by exposure to infected animals, their feces, secretions, or contaminated fomites (or mechanical vectors)
Vertical– In pregnant queens, the virus may spread transplacentally to cause embryonic resorption, fetal mummification, abortion, or stillbirth.
diagnosis feline panleukopenia
canine ELISA parvo test
treatment feline panleukopenia
SUPPORTIVE: correct for severe dehydration, electrolyte abnormalities, secondary bacterial infections, control clinical signs
What are the feline CORE vaccines?
FVRCP
Rabies
FeLV
Under what circumstances might a clinician recommend a feline bordetella vaccine?
shelters/catteries
How does Feline Leukemia virus affect cats?
It manifests primarily through profound anemia, malignancies, and immunosuppression.
How is FeLV transmitted?
Horizontal: direct contact (cat to cat)
Oronasal contact with infectious saliva or urine represents the most likely mode of horizontal transmission
Direct contact, mutual grooming, and shared litter trays and food dishes are the another method of horizontal transmission; infection through bite wounds is possible
Vertical: mother to fetus in utero or colostrum
T/F. FeLV is very stable in the environment
False. FeLV virus is unstable in the environment and is susceptible to all common detergents and disinfectants.
**horizontal transmission between adults usually requires prolonged, intimate contact.
How long after infection with FeLV would we expect a cat to test positive for FeLV?
on average 4-6 weeks
diagnosis of FeLV? sample needed?
ELISA or lateral flow FeLV antigen test; blood is required for these tests
T/F. Vaccination will affect the test results for a FeLV antigen screening.
FALSE! This is an antigen test, therefore a vaccination would not interfere with diagnostic results
treatment of FeLV?
No cure
Tx: supportive
Chemotherapeutic agents may provide temporary remission
Antiviral drugs may decrease viremia and extend period of remission
What is the recommended vaccine protocol with FeLV vaccination?
all kittens should receive a 2-dose series, starting at 12 weeks of age, followed by a booster 1 year later, then q 1-3 years, based on risk
How does Feline Immunodeficiency virus (FIV) affect cats?
immunodeficiency….
Cats who are infected with feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) may not show symptoms until years after the initial infection occurred.
Although the virus is slow-acting, a cat’s immune system is severely weakened once the disease takes hold. This makes the cat susceptible to various secondary infections.
transmission of FIV
Horizontal: Bite wounds are the primary means of transmission for FIV (saliva)
Vertical: On rare occasions infection is transmitted from an infected mother cat to her kittens, usually during passage through the birth canal or when the newborn kittens ingest infected milk.
clinical signs FIV
FIV infection can be divided into three stages: acute infection, lasting 3 to 6 months; subclinical infection, lasting months to years; and feline AIDS or chronic clinical disease, which may also last months or years.
ADR
Disheveled coat
Weight loss
Conjunctivitis
Gingivitis, Stomatitis
Wounds that don’t heal
Sneezing
Discharge from eyes or nose
Concurrent infections
Compare the typical signalment of FeLV vs FIV
FIV-males (intact), 5-12y
FeLV-males/females, 1-5y
How is FIV diagnosed
blood test that screens for FIV Antibodies
FIV is diagnosed with a test that screens for FIV antibodies. How is this significant in regards to a young kitten?
Maternal antibodies could make Kittens test “positive” for 12-16 weeks after birth; we should recheck test at 6-8 months
treatment FIV
None
Supportive Care
Medication for secondary infections
Healthy, palatable diet to encourage good nutrition
Fluid and electrolyte replacement therapy
Anti-inflammatory drugs
Immune-enhancing drugs
Parasite control
Do we vaccinate against FIV?
Nope! The vaccine is not effective and also interferes with screening.
How do we prevent the spread of FIV?
The only sure way to protect cats is to prevent their exposure to the virus
Spay/neuter
Keeping cats indoors-and away from potentially infected cats that might bite them-markedly reduces their likelihood of contracting FIV infection.
Only infection-free cats should be adopted into a household with uninfected cats.
Infected cats should be housed indoors so as not to serve as reservoir of infection for other
Etiology of Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP)
mutation of the feline coronavirus
does feline coronavirus always cause Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP)
no!! : In a small percent of infected cats (5 to 10 percent), either by a mutation of the virus or by an aberration of the immune response, the infection progresses into clinical FIP
What clinical signs does “regular” feline coronavirus FCoV cause in otherwise healthy cats?
most FCoV-infected cats do not show clinical signs.
FCoV infection can cause a transient and clinically mild diarrhea and/or vomiting due to replication of FCoV in enterocytes.
Kittens infected with FCoV may have a history of stunted growth or upper respiratory tract signs.
Who is most at risk of developing Feline Infectious Peritonitis?
young, immunocompromised cats
pure bred cats: Susceptibility to FIP is a polygenic inherited trait in Persians and Birmans. Breeds with higher prevalence of FIP include Abyssinian, Bengal, Birman, Himalayan, Ragdoll, and Rex.
cats in catteries/shelters may be at high risk simply due to crowding
transmission of Feline coronavirus
Virus shed in feces and saliva; Infection is generally via the oronasal route.
The major sources of FCoV for naive cats are litter boxes shared with shedding cats
most common clinical signs of FIP
anorexia
weight loss
unkempt appearance
+/- fever
elevated blood protein levels
evidence of effusion (swollen belly)
t/f. a diagnosis of FIP is difficult antemortem
TRUE!!
The only “test” is an antibody test for Feline Coronavirus. Since most cats are exposed to FCoV, nearly all titers will be positive. Remember FCoV doesn’t always cause FIP, and it usually doesn’t!
Most diagnoses are presumptive. Review The Rivalta’s test ;-)
Prognosis FIP
POOR! ;-(. There is no known cure.
Treatment is supportive, and euthanasia is often warranted.
Do we routinely vaccinate for FCoV?
No. The vaccine is labeled for use beginning at 16 wk of age, which may be too late to protect kittens against FCoV in endemic populations.
How are humans infected with feline toxoplasmosis?
consumption of infectious oocysts in cat feces, consumption of tissue cysts in infected meat, and by transplacental transfer of tachyzoites from mother to fetus
how are cats infected with feline toxoplasmosis?
ingest cyst, oocyst, or tachyzoite from rodents, birds, meat or unpasteurized dairy products
are cats usually clinically affected when they have toxoplasmosis?
NOPE! Most are subclinical.
Cats with FeLV/FIV may show clinical signs due to immunosuppression
who is at a the greatest risk for zoonoses of toxoplasmosis?
pregnant women
immunosuppressed individuals
