Feline Infectious Peritonitis

Question 1

What type of virus family does this belong to

Answer 1

Coronaviridae, which is enveloped and ss RNA that infects tons of animals. High mutation rate

Question 2

What type of coronavirus is this

Answer 2

Alpha

Question 3

Where does the virus enter

Answer 3

Enterocytes, in which it blunts the epithelium (causes electrolyte reabsorption problems and diarrhea)

Question 4

How is FeCoV spread?

Answer 4

Fecal-oral

Question 5

How prevalent is FeCov and how immune resistant?

Answer 5

Very; 30% cats are chronic shedders. Immunity is short so reinfection is possible

Question 6

How does this relate to dog coronaviruses?

Answer 6

The type 1 has mild enteritis and type 2 has mild respiratory signs

Question 7

What are the serotypes of FeCov?

Answer 7

1: predominant in the field; 2: recombination with other groups

Question 8

What biotypes are there for coronavirus?

Answer 8

Feline enteric coronavirus and FIP

Question 9

How prevalent is FIP?

Answer 9

Very; leading infectious cause of death among young cats, more in cats 4-16 months; 1 in 100 or 200 develop this if they are under 2 years of age

Question 10

What are the types of FIP?

Answer 10

Wet or effusive (most cases, death within weeks) and dry or non effusive (1/4, death within weeks or months)

Question 11

Which type of FIP is the worst?

Answer 11

BOTH; ARE ALMOST 100% FATAL

Question 12

What is the pathogenesis between FeCov and FIP?

Answer 12

FeCov undergoes a tropism change when moves from enterocytes to macrophages; second step is an impaired host immune response where the cell mediated immunity decreases; third step is when it is now known as FIP

Question 13

How is immunity important?

Answer 13

Based on cell-mediated; if there is no response and only a humoral one then it becomes wet and if you have a strong humoral response with a weak cell mediated immunity the form will be dry.

Question 14

What happens after the cat is infected?

Answer 14

Cytokines are released from activated macrophages and stimulate T cell apoptosis, which leads to a lymphopenia and a weaker response, helping the virus proliferate more

Question 15

What is the FIP pathogenesis characterized by?

Answer 15

Granulomatous vasculitis and pyo or granulomatous lesions in the organs

Question 16

What does granulomatous vasculitis entail?

Answer 16

Infection of monocytes leads to a triggering of inflammatory cells, forming aggregates and it effuses into the body cavity

Question 17

What does pyogranulomatous lesions entail?

Answer 17

Kidney, omentum, mesenteric lymph nodes are the most affected

Question 18

What do clinical signs depend on?

Answer 18

What organs are involved and the immune status of the cat

Question 19

What is a sign you might see in the wet form?

Answer 19

Hydrothorax

Question 20

Are there any neuro signs? What form?

Answer 20

Yes, in the dry form and 30% of cats get it. Pyogranulomatous infiltrates lead to a meningitis. This can lead to abnormal behaviour, seizures, personality changes, head tilt

Question 21

What are common ocular signs?

Answer 21

Keratic precipitates, uveitis, and iris change.

Question 22

What are the ocular signs associated with?

Answer 22

Dry form, about 68% of cats, most frequent cause of uveitis in cats

Question 23

What happens in the diagnosis of FIP?

Answer 23

Pretty much death, there are no specific signs or virus detection for this so it is identified post-mortem. You HAVE TO EXCLUDE OTHER DISEASES

Question 24

Which cats are usually affected?

Answer 24

4-36 month old cats, with higher incidence in multi cat households, can see ocular/neuro/other signds

Question 25

What blood abnormalities can usually be seen?

Answer 25

Increased total protein and globulin, non-regen anemia, have an albumin and globulin ratio of 0.8 or less

Question 26

What can you see in terms of effusion?

Answer 26

clear or yellow viscous fluid, low cellularity transudate, if detect virus in this then DIAGNOSTIC FOR FIP

Question 27

How do you look at effusion?

Answer 27

Identify the colour, do the Rivalta test to see if exudate or transudate, use this for RT-PCR or IFA to detect virus. Virus load is bigger here and small in blood

Question 28

Can you do virus detection in stuff other than effusion?

Answer 28

Can do biopsy of tissues or blood but it can be positive in FeCoV cats and negative for FIP

Question 29

What does serology do?

Answer 29

High titers do not mean FIP, usually if greater than 1:1600 then may be FIP but some cats have low titers and have FIP

Question 30

What are the control measures for FIP?

Answer 30

Routine and strict hygiene, disinfectants can kill, a vaccine is not recommended

Question 31

Is FIP contagious?

Answer 31

Low, shed low or no virus in feces. Risk factors include exposure to FeCov, stress, genetic predisposition. If a cat has FIP, keep away from other cats

Question 32

What is the treatment for FIP?

Answer 32

None, just supportive treatment. Use of corticosteroids and immunostimulants can be used.

Question 33

Describe ferret coronavirus

Answer 33

Called Epizootic Catarrhal enteritis; has foul green diarrhea with mucus, low mortality, more severe in older ones and transmitted by fecal-oral.

Question 34

Describe systemic ferret coronavirus

Answer 34

young ferrets under 2, similar to FIP but less body effusion. Highly fatal and can see anemia.