FeLV Shedding in Feces

Gomes-Keller, M. A., E. Gonczi, et al. (2009). "Fecal shedding of infectious feline leukemia virus and its nucleic acids: a transmission potential." Vet Microbiol 134(3-4): 208-17.

Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is an important pathogen of cats that is associated with cancer and immunodeficiency. Transmission of the virus occurs primarily via saliva. These investigators examined fecal shedding of the virus by testing for viral RNA and DNA, as well as by virus cultivation from rectal swabs of infected cats. They found that cats testing positive using common in-clinic test kits for FeLV antigen also shed virus in feces, and the majority of them were infectious to other cats. None of these FeLV-shedding cats showed any gastrointestinal signs of disease. However, it appears that the viral load in feces is small, and while it did lead to exposure and antibody production against the virus in uninfected cats in contact with virus-positive feces, these cats did not become antigen-positive on in-clinic test kits. Viral genetic material was found in tissues from a minority of these exposed cats, indicating transmission via feces is possible. While secondary to saliva as a means of virus spread, these results indicate that sharing of litter pans between infected and susceptible cats does bear some risk for transmission of FeLV. [MK]
>> PubMed Abstract

Related articles:
Gomes-Keller, M. A., R. Tandon, et al. (2006). "Shedding of feline leukemia virus RNA in saliva is a consistent feature in viremic cats." Vet Microbiol 112(1): 11-21.
>> PubMed Abstract

Levy, J., C. Crawford, et al. (2008). "2008 American Association of Feline Practitioners' feline retrovirus management guidelines." Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery 10(3): 300-316.
>> Full text article

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Gomes-Keller, M. A., E. Gonczi, et al. (2009). "Fecal shedding of infectious feline leukemia virus and its nucleic acids: a transmission potential." Vet Microbiol 134(3-4): 208-17.

Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is an important pathogen of cats that is associated with cancer and immunodeficiency. Transmission of the virus occurs primarily via saliva. These investigators examined fecal shedding of the virus by testing for viral RNA and DNA, as well as by virus cultivation from rectal swabs of infected cats. They found that cats testing positive using common in-clinic test kits for FeLV antigen also shed virus in feces, and the majority of them were infectious to other cats. None of these FeLV-shedding cats showed any gastrointestinal signs of disease. However, it appears that the viral load in feces is small, and while it did lead to exposure and antibody production against the virus in uninfected cats in contact with virus-positive feces, these cats did not become antigen-positive on in-clinic test kits. Viral genetic material was found in tissues from a minority of these exposed cats, indicating transmission via feces is possible. While secondary to saliva as a means of virus spread, these results indicate that sharing of litter pans between infected and susceptible cats does bear some risk for transmission of FeLV. [MK]
>> PubMed Abstract

Related articles:
Gomes-Keller, M. A., R. Tandon, et al. (2006). "Shedding of feline leukemia virus RNA in saliva is a consistent feature in viremic cats." Vet Microbiol 112(1): 11-21.
>> PubMed Abstract

Levy, J., C. Crawford, et al. (2008). "2008 American Association of Feline Practitioners' feline retrovirus management guidelines." Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery 10(3): 300-316.
>> Full text article

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Spinal Cord Disease in Cats

Gonçalves R, Platt SR, Llabrés-Díaz FJ, et al. Clinical and magnetic resonance imaging findings in 92 cats with clinical signs of spinal cord disease. Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery 2009;11:53-59.

Spinal cord disease is a diagnostic challenge in cats. As well, no antemortem studies on the relative frequency of the different etiologies responsible for feline spinal cord disease, such as lymphoma, feline infectious peritonitis, and intervertebral disc disease, exist in the literature. MRI is a noninvasive tool that represents the method of choice for imaging the spinal cord in human patients. The objectives of this study were to determine the frequency of an abnormal MRI in cats with clinical signs of spinal cord disease; to examine the relationship between the patient’s clinical characteristics and MRI findings; to identify potential predictors of a poor outcome and to investigate the outcome of cats with a normal MRI study. The authors reviewed the medical records of 92 cats with spinal cord disease that had undergone an MRI study. Seven diagnostic categories were determined on the basis of MRI and other findings: neoplastic (25 cats), inflammatory or infectious (13), traumatic (8), vascular (6), degenerative (5), anomalous (3), and those cats with a normal MRI study (32). The most important predictors of an abnormal MRI study were the presence of spinal pain and the severity of clinical signs. Of the 32 cats with a normal MRI study, only 9 died due to spinal disease. Of the 60 cats with abnormal MRI findings, 37 died due to their disease. [SL]
>> PubMed Abstract

Related articles:
Negrin A, Schatzberg S, Platt SR. The paralyzed cat. Neuroanatomic diagnosis and specific spinal cord diseases. J Feline Med Surg 2009;11:361-372.
>> PubMed Abstract

Harris JE, Dhupa S. Lumbosacral intervertebral disk disease in six cats. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 2008;44:109-115.
>> PubMed Abstract

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library

Gonçalves R, Platt SR, Llabrés-Díaz FJ, et al. Clinical and magnetic resonance imaging findings in 92 cats with clinical signs of spinal cord disease. Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery 2009;11:53-59.

Spinal cord disease is a diagnostic challenge in cats. As well, no antemortem studies on the relative frequency of the different etiologies responsible for feline spinal cord disease, such as lymphoma, feline infectious peritonitis, and intervertebral disc disease, exist in the literature. MRI is a noninvasive tool that represents the method of choice for imaging the spinal cord in human patients. The objectives of this study were to determine the frequency of an abnormal MRI in cats with clinical signs of spinal cord disease; to examine the relationship between the patient’s clinical characteristics and MRI findings; to identify potential predictors of a poor outcome and to investigate the outcome of cats with a normal MRI study. The authors reviewed the medical records of 92 cats with spinal cord disease that had undergone an MRI study. Seven diagnostic categories were determined on the basis of MRI and other findings: neoplastic (25 cats), inflammatory or infectious (13), traumatic (8), vascular (6), degenerative (5), anomalous (3), and those cats with a normal MRI study (32). The most important predictors of an abnormal MRI study were the presence of spinal pain and the severity of clinical signs. Of the 32 cats with a normal MRI study, only 9 died due to spinal disease. Of the 60 cats with abnormal MRI findings, 37 died due to their disease. [SL]
>> PubMed Abstract

Related articles:
Negrin A, Schatzberg S, Platt SR. The paralyzed cat. Neuroanatomic diagnosis and specific spinal cord diseases. J Feline Med Surg 2009;11:361-372.
>> PubMed Abstract

Harris JE, Dhupa S. Lumbosacral intervertebral disk disease in six cats. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 2008;44:109-115.
>> PubMed Abstract

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library

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Tritrichomonas Diarrhea in Cats

Stockdale HD, Givens MD, Dykstra CC, et al. Tritrichomonas foetus infections in surveyed pet cats. Vet Parasitol 2009;160:13-17.

Tritrichomonas foetus causes chronic large bowel diarrhea in cats associated with blood or mucus, flatulence, tenesmus, vomiting, weight loss, and anal irritation. Most reports in the literature are since 1996. The objective of this was to estimate the prevalence of T. foetus in pet cats across the United States. Fecal samples from 173 cats across the U.S. were submitted by veterinarians. Thirty-two pedigreed cats were represented. In this study population, 10% of the cats were positive for T. foetus. All positive cats had chronic large bowel diarrhea. There was no correlation between breed or gender and infection with T. foetus. Other enteric pathogens, such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium, were present in nine of the 17 positive cats. The results of this study suggest that trichomoniasis is a disease of younger male and female cats of all breeds. [SL]
>> PubMed Abstract

Related articles:
Gunn-Moore DA, McCann TM, Reed N, et al. Prevalence of Tritrichomonas foetus infection in cats with diarrhoea in the UK. J Feline Med Surg 2007;9:214-218.
>> PubMed Abstract

Gookin JL, Copple CN, Papich MG, et al. Efficacy of ronidazole for treatment of feline Tritrichomonas foetus infection. J Vet Intern Med 2006;20:536-543.
>> PubMed Abstract

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library

Stockdale HD, Givens MD, Dykstra CC, et al. Tritrichomonas foetus infections in surveyed pet cats. Vet Parasitol 2009;160:13-17.

Tritrichomonas foetus causes chronic large bowel diarrhea in cats associated with blood or mucus, flatulence, tenesmus, vomiting, weight loss, and anal irritation. Most reports in the literature are since 1996. The objective of this was to estimate the prevalence of T. foetus in pet cats across the United States. Fecal samples from 173 cats across the U.S. were submitted by veterinarians. Thirty-two pedigreed cats were represented. In this study population, 10% of the cats were positive for T. foetus. All positive cats had chronic large bowel diarrhea. There was no correlation between breed or gender and infection with T. foetus. Other enteric pathogens, such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium, were present in nine of the 17 positive cats. The results of this study suggest that trichomoniasis is a disease of younger male and female cats of all breeds. [SL]
>> PubMed Abstract

Related articles:
Gunn-Moore DA, McCann TM, Reed N, et al. Prevalence of Tritrichomonas foetus infection in cats with diarrhoea in the UK. J Feline Med Surg 2007;9:214-218.
>> PubMed Abstract

Gookin JL, Copple CN, Papich MG, et al. Efficacy of ronidazole for treatment of feline Tritrichomonas foetus infection. J Vet Intern Med 2006;20:536-543.
>> PubMed Abstract

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library

Read More