Detection of feline calicivirus antigens in the joints of infected cats

Abstract

Twelve specific pathogen free cats were used to investigate the role of calicivirus in causing lameness. These were divided into two groups each of six cats; one group of cats had previously been vaccinated, the other had not. Three cats in each group were given live vaccine virus (F9 related) by the subcutaneous route and two in each group were challenged intranasally with field virus (A4), either four or seven days before euthanasia. The other two cats were controls. Virus was isolated from the oropharynx of five cats and the conjunctiva of a single cat. Four of these cats had been given the field virus and two the vaccine strain; the latter two cats had been previously immunised and had high circulating neutralising antibodies to calicivirus. No virus was isolated from the joints of any cat but immunofluorescence examination revealed viral antigens within the synovial macrophages of 14 joints from five cats, three having been given the field virus and two the vaccine virus seven days before euthanasia. Immunofluorescence also demonstrated the presence of immunoglobulin and complement within synovial macrophages suggesting that the virus was in the form of an immune complex. No lameness was reported in any cat and the synovial histological changes were minimal.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

An isolated epizootic of hemorrhagic-like fever in cats caused by a novel and highly virulent strain of feline calicivirus

“…FCV is endemic in most catteries, shelters and large multiple cat households, where up to one-fourth of cats may be orally shedding the virus at any given time (Bennett et al, 1989;Harbour et al, 1991;Dawson et al, 1993a, b). FCV exists in numerous overlapping serotypes but is basically a single species (Gillespie and Scott, 1973).…”

“…Pedersen and colleagues (1983) added the feature of`limping' to the FCV disease syndrome. The lameness appears to be associated with acute viremia and localization of virus and/or immune complexes in the joints (Bennett et al, 1989;Dawson et al, 1994). Following recovery from acute disease, up to one-fourth of cats will shed the virus for a prolonged period of time from their oropharynx (Bennett et al, 1989;Harbour et al, 1991;Dawson et al, 1993a, b).…”

“…The lameness appears to be associated with acute viremia and localization of virus and/or immune complexes in the joints (Bennett et al, 1989;Dawson et al, 1994). Following recovery from acute disease, up to one-fourth of cats will shed the virus for a prolonged period of time from their oropharynx (Bennett et al, 1989;Harbour et al, 1991;Dawson et al, 1993a, b). Although most FCV carriers are asymptomatic, a small proportion will develop a distinct disease syndrome known as chronic plasmacytic/lymphocytic stomatitis or chronic ulceroproliferative stomatitis (Reubel et al, 1992).…”

Long-term analysis of feline calicivirus prevalence and viral shedding patterns in naturally infected colonies of domestic cats

“…Feline calicivirus (FCV) is a ubiquitous respiratory and oral pathogen of domestic cats (Gaskell et al, 2004a). Other clinical signs reported include lameness www.elsevier.com/locate/vetmic Veterinary Microbiology 118 (2006) 12-25 (Bennett et al, 1989;Dawson et al, 1994;Pedersen et al, 1983), a recently reported virulent systemic disease (Coyne et al, 2006a;Hurley et al, 2004;Pedersen et al, 2000;Schorr-Evans et al, 2003) and a possible association with chronic stomatitis Thompson et al, 1984). Vaccines against FCV are widely used in the domestic cat population, and although reasonably effective in conferring clinical protection, they do not prevent infection Gaskell et al, 1982Gaskell et al, , 2004bPedersen and Hawkins, 1995).…”

Feline Vaccination Guidelines

“…Lameness and chronic oral inflammatory syndromes have been linked to calicivirus infection and vaccination with modified-live calicivirus vaccines. 3 ,7, 10, 11, 45, 57 Risk of exposure to either FHV-1 or FCV is high, because both organisms are widespread tn the feline population.…”