Viral Infections in Free-Living Populations of the European Wildcat

Leutenegger, Christian M.; Hofmann‐Lehmann, Regina; Riols, Christian; Liberek, Martin; Worel, G.; Lüps, Peter; Fehr, Danielle; Hartmann, Monika; Weilenmann, P.; Lutz, Hans

doi:10.7589/0090-3558-35.4.678

Cited by 61 publications

(66 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…Samples were available from 257 wild felids (Table 1), including blood or serosanguinous fluid from 35 Iberian lynxes (Lynx pardinus) from Spain, 36 Eurasian lynxes (Lynx lynx) from Switzerland, 31 European wildcats (Felis silvestris silvestris) from France (17), and 45 lions (Panthera leo) from Tanzania (23). In addition, one sample from a free-ranging ocelot from Brazil and 109 blood samples from 12 different captive wild felid species kept at the Fundacão Parque Zoológico de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil, were available ( Table 2).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Worldwide Occurrence of Feline Hemoplasma Infections in Wild Felid Species

et al. 2007

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While hemoplasma infections in domestic cats are well studied, almost no information is available on their occurrence in wild felids. The aims of the present study were to investigate wild felid species as possible reservoirs of feline hemoplasmas and the molecular characterization of the hemoplasma isolates. Blood samples from the following 257 wild felids were analyzed: 35 Iberian lynxes from Spain, 36 Eurasian lynxes from Switzerland, 31 European wildcats from France, 45 lions from Tanzania, and 110 Brazilian wild felids, including 12 wild felid species kept in zoos and one free-ranging ocelot. Using real-time PCR, feline hemoplasmas were detected in samples of the following species: Iberian lynx, Eurasian lynx, European wildcat, lion, puma, oncilla, Geoffroy's cat, margay, and ocelot. "Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum" was the most common feline hemoplasma in Iberian lynxes, Eurasian lynxes, Serengeti lions, and Brazilian wild felids, whereas "Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis" was the most prevalent in European wildcats; hemoplasma coinfections were frequently observed. Hemoplasma infection was associated with species and free-ranging status of the felids in all animals and with feline leukemia virus provirus-positive status in European wildcats. Phylogenetic analyses of the 16S rRNA and the partial RNase P gene revealed that most hemoplasma isolates exhibit high sequence identities to domestic cat-derived isolates, although some isolates form different subclusters within the phylogenetic tree. In conclusion, 9 out of 15 wild felid species from three different continents were found to be infected with feline hemoplasmas. The effect of feline hemoplasma infections on wild felid populations needs to be further investigated.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Worldwide Occurrence of Feline Hemoplasma Infections in Wild Felid Species

et al. 2007

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“…Serological (Western blot) evidence of FIV infection has so far been documented for 18 of 37 nondomestic feline species worldwide, and FIV strains infecting 4 of these species have been at least partially sequenced and characterized in molecular terms (3,6,7,9,10,14,18,19,20,21,23,38). However, population-wide genetic data are available for only two nondomestic species, the puma (5, 10) and the lion (8,35), and much of the previous evidence for infection in non-African species comes from captive animal sera that cross-react with domestic cat FIV-Fca, which is genetically and antigenically divergent from exotic cat strains of FIV (3,8,10).…”

Section: Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (Fiv) Infects Numerous Wild Anmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seroprevalence and Genomic Divergence of Circulating Strains of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus among Felidae and Hyaenidae Species

Troyer

Pecon-Slattery

Roelke

et al. 2005

J Virol

138

259

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Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infects numerous wild and domestic feline species and is closely related to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV). Species-specific strains of FIV have been described for domestic cat (Felis catus), puma (Puma concolor), lion (Panthera leo), leopard (Panthera pardus), and Pallas' cat (Otocolobus manul). Here, we employ a three-antigen Western blot screening (domestic cat, puma, and lion FIV antigens) and PCR analysis to survey worldwide prevalence, distribution, and genomic differentiation of FIV based on 3,055 specimens from 35 Felidae and 3 Hyaenidae species. Although FIV infects a wide variety of host species, it is confirmed to be endemic in free-ranging populations of nine Felidae and one Hyaenidae species. These include the large African carnivores (lion, leopard, cheetah, and spotted hyena), where FIV is widely distributed in multiple populations; most of the South American felids (puma, jaguar, ocelot, margay, Geoffroy's cat, and tigrina), which maintain a lower FIV-positive level throughout their range; and two Asian species, the Pallas' cat, which has a species-specific strain of FIV, and the leopard cat, which has a domestic cat FIV strain in one population. Phylogenetic analysis of FIV proviral sequence demonstrates that most species for which FIV is endemic harbor monophyletic, genetically distinct species-specific FIV strains, suggesting that FIV transfer between cat species has occurred in the past but is quite infrequent today.

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“…Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is a naturally occurring gammaretrovirus found worldwide in domestic cats and some small, related felids (Hoover & Mullins, 1991;Leutenegger et al, 1999). FeLV is a horizontally transmitted virus that can lead to fatal neoplasia, degenerative diseases of the haematopoietic system and immunodeficiency (Dunham & Graham, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterization of neutrophil extracellular traps in cats naturally infected with feline leukemia virus

Wardini

Guimarães-Costa

Nascimento

et al. 2009

Journal of General Virology

108

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Feline leukemia virus (FeLV), a common, naturally occurring gammaretrovirus in domestic cats, is associated with degenerative diseases of the haematopoietic system, immunodeficiency and neoplasia. FeLV infection causes an important suppression of neutrophil function, leading to opportunistic infections. Recently, a new microbicidal mechanism named NETosis was described in human, bovine and fish neutrophils, as well as in chicken heterophils. The purpose of the present study was to characterize NETosis in feline neutrophils, as well as to evaluate neutrophil function in FeLV naturally infected symptomatic and asymptomatic cats through the phagocytosis process, release of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity. The results showed that feline neutrophils stimulated with protozoa parasites released structures comprising DNA and histones, which were characterized as NETs by immunofluorescence. Quantification of NETs after neutrophil stimulation showed a significant increase in NET release by neutrophils from FeLV " and FeLV + asymptomatic cats compared with FeLV + symptomatic cats.Moreover, the number of released NETs and MPO activity in unstimulated neutrophils of FeLV + symptomatic cats were higher than those in unstimulated neutrophils from FeLV " and FeLV + asymptomatic cats. This study reports, for the first time, NET release by feline neutrophils, along with the fact that NET induction may be modulated by a viral infection. The results indicate that the NET mechanism appears to be overactivated in FeLV + cats and that this feature could be considered a marker of disease progression in FeLV infection.

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Viral Infections in Free-Living Populations of the European Wildcat

Cited by 61 publications

References 32 publications

Worldwide Occurrence of Feline Hemoplasma Infections in Wild Felid Species

Worldwide Occurrence of Feline Hemoplasma Infections in Wild Felid Species

Seroprevalence and Genomic Divergence of Circulating Strains of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus among Felidae and Hyaenidae Species

Characterization of neutrophil extracellular traps in cats naturally infected with feline leukemia virus

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