Cytologic findings, and feline herpesvirus DNA andChlamydophila felisantigen detection rates in normal cats and cats with conjunctival and corneal lesions

Abstract

Samples were collected from 36 cats with feline herpesvirus (FHV-1)-related ocular disease (conjunctivitis, epithelial or stromal keratitis, or corneal sequestration), and 17 cats without ocular changes. Corneoconjunctival swabs, scrapings and biopsies were tested in various combinations for presence of FHV-1 DNA using single round (sr) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and nested PCR (nPCR). Additional swabs from the inferior conjunctival fornix were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for Chlamydophila felis antigen. Cytologic evaluation was carried out on conjunctival (cats with conjunctivitis) and corneal (cats with keratitis) cytobrush preparations. FHV-1 DNA was detected by PCR in 14 (39%) cats with ocular disease and 1 (6%) of the control group. Agreement between srPCR and nPCR results was significant (P < 0.01). FHV-1 DNA was detected in 3/7 cats with conjunctivitis, 5/6 cats with epithelial keratitis, 3/11 cats with stromal keratitis, and 3/12 cats with corneal sequestration. There was a significant association (P = 0.0027) between viral presence and epithelial keratitis. However, no significant association was found between viral presence and conjunctivitis (P = 0.059), stromal keratitis (P = 0.15), or corneal sequestration (P = 0.18). With respect to FHV-1 DNA detection, intersample agreement was significant (P < 0.03). No sampling technique seemed more likely than another to harvest detectable viral DNA, except for cats with corneal sequestrum in which viral DNA was not detected using corneoconjunctival swabs. FHV-1 DNA was detected in 6/9 samples with intranuclear inclusion bodies and in 6/7 cats with eosinophils on cytologic examination. All samples tested negative for C. felis antigen.

Feline herpesvirus

“…The role of FeHV-1 in other ocular conditions such as corneal sequestrae, eosinophilic keratitis, uveitis and keratoconjuncitivitis sicca is however less clear and needs further evaluation [78,97,124,128,142]. Skin ulcers have been reported in the past with FeHV-1 in domestic cats and also in cheetahs [26,63,65].…”

“…Involvement of FeHV-1 in conjunctivitis and in some cases, ulcerative keratitis, has long been known [4], but improved viral detection using PCR has led to increased recognition of this role in the acute disease, and also in more chronic ocular lesions such as stromal keratitis [95,124,125,128,142]. The role of FeHV-1 in other ocular conditions such as corneal sequestrae, eosinophilic keratitis, uveitis and keratoconjuncitivitis sicca is however less clear and needs further evaluation [78,97,124,128,142].…”

Eyes and Adnexa

“…15-5A&B) (Volopich et al, 2005;Hillström et al, 2012). Intranuclear inclusions in FHV-1 infection are occasionally encountered in conjunctival smears (Volopich et al, 2005) but are more readily seen in histologic sections ( Fig. 15-6).…”

“…In a study of household cats with active conjunctivitis, only 7% could be detected by PCR (Low et al, 2007). Besides fluorescent antibody detection, cell inoculation, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), PCR procedures, or immunochemistry may be used (Volopich et al, 2005;von Bomhard et al, 2003). In one case reported, chlamydial infection in a cat was possibly transmitted from a macaw (Lipman et al, 1994).…”

Toxoplasmosis in Pallas' cats (Otocolobus manul) raised in captivity

“…5 were homogenized and inoculated onto Crandell Feline Kidney (CRFK) cells using Eagle's Minimum Essential Medium and were additionally submitted to PCR for the detection of feline herpesvirus 1 (FHV-1) specific DNA. PCR was performed as described by Volopich et al (2004) using the following primers: forward : 5k-CTCGACGACCAACCAT-TACC-3k, position 3469-3488, reverse : 5k-TCCGA-TGACCGCAAGAGTAG-3k, position 4233-4214 ; accession number S72415. The blood samples of kitten no.…”