Seroprevalence of Viral Infections in Domestic Cats in Costa Rice

Abstract

ABSTRACT. A cross-sectional survey of a convenient sample of domestic cats from Costa Rica's greater metropolitan area was carried out to determine the prevalence of antibodies against feline herpesvirus type 1 (FHV-1), feline parvovirus (FPV), feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and antigens of feline leukemia virus (FeLV). Blood samples were collected from at least 96 cats from June 1998 to December 2001; data related to the individual cats and household variables were obtained using a questionnaire. Antibodies against FHV-1 were found in 71.9% of the cats sampled, but only 25.0% of them had a history of previous vaccination. The prevalence of FPV was 92.8%, and all positive cats showed protective antibodies titres; however, only 16.5% of them were previously vaccinated. Antigens of FeLV were detected in 16.7% of the sampled cats; 11 (64.7%) of the 17 positive cats were older than 1 year at the time of testing. No differences were found between the percentage of seropositive males and females. Antibodies against FIV were detected in 8.8% of the samples tested; 8 (88.8%) of the seropositive cats were older than 1 year of age, and a greater proportion of seropositive males (66.6%) was found. KEY WORDS: feline herpesvirus type 1, feline immunodeficiency virus, feline leukemia virus, feline parvovirus.

Serological Detection of Viral Infections in Captive Wild Cats from Costa Rica

“…A previous study by Blanco et al [4] detected a low prevalence of FeLV (16.6%) and FIV (8.8%) in domestic cats in the greater metropolitan area of Costa Rica, which may represent a risk for wild felid populations [1]. The high proportion of animals exposed to FPV is in accordance with the high prevalence (92%) reported in domestic cats in the metropolitan area of Costa Rica [4].…”

“…A previous study by Blanco et al [4] detected a low prevalence of FeLV (16.6%) and FIV (8.8%) in domestic cats in the greater metropolitan area of Costa Rica, which may represent a risk for wild felid populations [1]. The high proportion of animals exposed to FPV is in accordance with the high prevalence (92%) reported in domestic cats in the metropolitan area of Costa Rica [4]. This suggested natural exposure of wild cats to the stable and resistant FPV [8], rather than through vaccination, which was performed at least 10 years previously with an inactivated vaccine.…”

“…This suggested natural exposure of wild cats to the stable and resistant FPV [8], rather than through vaccination, which was performed at least 10 years previously with an inactivated vaccine. It is noteworthy that only 17.8% of urban domestic cats from Costa Rica that were positive for FPV had been vaccinated against the agent [4]. One ocelot contained detectable serum antibodies against FCV, in accordance with results reported by Blanco [9], who detected a relatively low prevalence (30.1%) of serum antibodies against FCV in domestic cats of Costa Rica, and contrasts with other studies that have reported greater prevalences of FCV exposure among domestic cats [10, 11].…”

“…To detect antibodies to FPV, an haemagglutination inhibition assay was performed as described previously [3], using feline parvovirus from the Eclipse 3 vaccine (Fort Dodge, Iowa, U.S.A.) as antigen, after formalin and heat inactivation. Virus and erythrocyte controls were assayed on each plate [4]. Antibodies against FCV were detected in a serum neutralization (SN) assay as described elsewhere [5] using 100–200 TCID 50 of FCV-CR1, a field strain from Costa Rica isolated from a cat with upper respiratory tract disease [6].…”

Clinical and antiviral effect of a single oral dose of famciclovir administered to cats at intake to a shelter

“…At least 80% of infected cats remain persistently infected, since the virus becomes latent in neural tissue, especially within the trigeminal ganglia, as well as the optic nerves, olfactory bulbs and corneas (Reubel et al, 1993). This helps to account for its estimated seroprevalence of 50-97% in feline populations worldwide (Studdert and Martin, 1970;Ellis, 1981;Maggs et al, 1999;Bannasch and Foley, 2005;Byeong-Teck and Hee-Myung, 2008;Blanco et al, 2009).…”