FeLV Flashcards
Transmission of FeLV
Via “intimate moist contact” - with salivary secretions - via bites, milk. + blood transfusions
Basis of the in house ELISA
Detecting soluble p27 antigen in blood
what type of Virus is FeLV and what is it capable of doing
Retrovirus
inducing neoplasia
biggest factor contributing to the outcome of infection is
age
exposure <4mo = much more likely to develop persistent viraemia
(younger you are and bigger size of infection exposed to = worse the likely outcome)
FeLV disease progression
Oronasal exposure
- spread to lymphoid tissue most cats eliminate at this stage
- dissemination of virus
- bone marrow infection
- persistent viraemia or latency.
Diseases associated with FeLV
- Immunosupression - opportunistic infections
- Neoplasia - lymphoma, leukaemia, multiple fibrosarcomas
- Anaemia & BM disorders
- misc - due to Ag-Ab complexes
How does FeLV cause neoplasia?
insertional mutagenesis by activating proto-oncogenes or disrupting tumour suppressor genes
Do maternal ABs or vaccination interfere with ELISA?
No - it tests for antigen.
A negative in house FeLV ELISA result is likely to be
Correct - sensitive test.
Should confirm with virus isolation or IMF testing.
When do most cats eliminate FeLV infection
when the virus spreads to lymphoid tissue
If a cat is antibody positive but antigen negative for FeLV
It has eliminated the infection
Latency can be reactivated
Never or in stressful situations!
Persistently viraemic cats are
at high risk of developing fatal dz e.g. immunosuppression, BM disorders, haemopoietic neoplasia.
If a cat has an unusual manifestation of a disease which is not responding to tx we should test for
FeLV and FIV
What types of neoplasia can FeLV cause
Lymphoma, leukaemia, multiple fibrosarcomas
Most FeLV caused anaemias are
non-regenerative
Can get IMHA, aplastic and myelodysplastic
Glomerulonephritis, uveitis, polyarthritis, neurological disorders, GI dz, reproductive disorders can be linked to
Ag-Ab complexes - test for FeLV
How long after exposure to FeLV should a healthy cat be tested?
12 weeks
How sensitive is the p27 antigen ELISA
Very - -ve likely to be correct
How specific is the ELISA test
Lower - can get false +ves so always confirm a positive in house result with virus isolation or immunofluorescence testing.
If you get a positive result in house
Confirm with virus isolation or immunofluorescence testing.
If severely unwell with signs consistent with FeLV related dz a single +ve is enough to confirm infection.
Retest in 12wks to check for transient infection.
A single positive in a severely unwell cat with signs consistent with FeLV related dz
Is sufficient to confirm infection.
Management for healthy FeLV +ve cats
Isolate & retest in 12wks
Management for sick FeLV +ve cats
- low stress environment
- inactivated vaccine
- manage concurrent dz
- [recombinant feline interferon]
