Follow-up on long-term antiretroviral therapy for cats infected with feline immunodeficiency virus

Abstract

The data strongly suggest that treated cats were resistant to therapy, and uncharacterized resistance mutations in the RT gene of FIV were selected for by AZT. Few studies have been conducted to evaluate the effect of long-term antiretroviral therapy in cats. To date, resistance mutations have not been described in vivo.

Anti-feline immunodeficiency virus reverse transcriptase properties of some medicinal and edible mushrooms

“…Moreover, FIV infection is persistent and lifelong treatment is required which will be costly for the cat owners. The use of human anti-HIV drugs showed a promising result; however, it showed some limitations such as drug side effects, reappearance of virus after discontinuing treatment, and occurrence of mutant FIV [ 7 , 8 ]. Thus, it is necessary to search for new medicine to treat the infected cats.…”

“…Application of AZT on infected cats at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg of body weight every 12 h for 3 weeks could improve general clinical status and CD4/CD8 ratio at average degrees of 0.6 and 0.2, respectively [ 7 ]. Although AZT could inhibit FIV replication in vitro and could improve the CD4/CD8 ratio, long-term treatment of FIV infection in cats could cause FIV mutation [ 8 ]. Moreover, the viral load was slightly increased in some cats after discontinuing the treatment [ 8 ].…”

“…Although AZT could inhibit FIV replication in vitro and could improve the CD4/CD8 ratio, long-term treatment of FIV infection in cats could cause FIV mutation [ 8 ]. Moreover, the viral load was slightly increased in some cats after discontinuing the treatment [ 8 ]. Other NARTIs introduced to treat FIV-infected cats were 9-(2-phosphonylmethoxyethyl) adenine (PMEA) which showed more potent anti-FIV-RT activity than AZT.…”

Comparison of feline and human immunodeficiency virus reverse transcriptase enzymes through chemical screening and computational analysis

“…Feline immunodeficiency virus is a member of the lentivirus subfamily of retroviridae which infects domestic cats and wild feline species (Long et al., 2021; Medeiros Sde et al., 2016; Saparpakorn et al., 2022). FIV causes immune dysfunction resulting in depletion of CD4 + cells, increases CD8 + peripheral blood lymphocyte count, increasing the susceptibility of the animal to opportunistic infections, and often death (Brown et al., 2010; Medeiros Sde et al., 2016).…”

“…Feline immunodeficiency virus is a member of the lentivirus subfamily of retroviridae which infects domestic cats and wild feline species (Long et al., 2021; Medeiros Sde et al., 2016; Saparpakorn et al., 2022). FIV causes immune dysfunction resulting in depletion of CD4 + cells, increases CD8 + peripheral blood lymphocyte count, increasing the susceptibility of the animal to opportunistic infections, and often death (Brown et al., 2010; Medeiros Sde et al., 2016). The final stage in felines infected with FIV is characterized by the development of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) like symptoms (Bendinelli et al., 1995) comparable to that caused in humans by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (Pedersen et al., 1987).…”