Background: The epidemiology of feline calicivirus (FCV) infection in cats with idiopathic cystitis (FIC) has not been investigated by contemporary molecular biologic methods.Objectives: To determine the prevalence of and evaluate risk factors for FCV viruria, oral carriage, and virus neutralizing (VN) antibodies in cats with and without FIC.Animals: Cats with nonobstructive FIC (n 5 47), obstructive FIC (n 5 22), and FCV upper respiratory tract infection (URI; n 5 25), and healthy client-owned (n 5 18) and colony-housed (n 5 24) cats.Methods: Oropharyngeal secretions and urine were evaluated with a FCV p30 gene-based real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay. Serum VN antibody titers were determined by a modified microtiter assay. Associations of risk factors with log-transformed antibody titers were determined by multivariable generalized linear regression.Results: FCV viruria was detected in 4 (6%) and 3 (12%) cats with FIC and URI, respectively. In 3 FIC cats, viruria was unassociated with detectable oral virus carriage. Oral FCV carriage was detected in 7 (10%) FIC cats. Median antibody titers were significantly higher in cats with obstructive FIC (1 : 256), nonobstructive FIC (1 : 128), and URI (1 : 512) compared with healthy client-owned (1 : 16) and colony-housed (1 : 4) cats (P o .001). Other than disease, multivariate analysis did not identify any other explanatory variables for increased titers in cats with FIC or URI.Conclusions and Clinical Importance: FCV viruria was detected in cats with FIC and URI, however, its etiologic significance is uncertain. Serologic results suggest increased FCV exposure in FIC cats compared with controls. Further investigations are needed to clarify the potential role of FCV in FIC.
President's Award Sonography in the Diagnosis of Appendicitis in the Community SettingTwo hundred six patients with suspected appendicitis were examined with sonography over a 6-month period in three community teaching hospitals. Of 41 patients in whom the surgeons judged the clinical findings severe enough to warrant immediate surgery (group A), 34 (83%) had appendicitis, and sonography had a sensftivity of 0.76, a specificity of 0.71, and an accuracy of 0.76. Of 165 patients in whom the surgeons judged the clinical findings severe enough to warrant hospitalization for observation but not immediate surgery (group B), 51 (31%) had appendicitis at subsequent surgery. Sonography had a sensitivity of 0.96, a specificity of 0.94, and an accuracy of 0.95. Of 49 surgeons surveyed, the mean testing threshold (i.e., the probability of appendicitis below which they would send the patient home without further tests or observation) was 0.11, and the mean treatment threshold (i.e., the probability of appendicitis above which they would operate immediately) was 0.82. The posttest probability of appendicitis with findings indicating appendicitis present on sonography was 0.93 in group A and 0.88 in group B, and with findings absent on sonography it was 0.62 in group A and 0.02 in group B.We conclude that in group A patients, the use of sonography remains controversial in the diagnosis of appendicitis, but in group B patients it is both valid and useful.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.