FIP: a new treatment approach

Winn grant W12-026, a Bria Fund project
Anti-immune evasive therapy in the treatment of FIP - a randomized,
controlled clinical trial
Investigators: Hans Nauwynck, Sabine Gleich; Ghent University, Belgium

This project is a continuation of a previous Winn grant (W10-039): Development of a novel treatment strategy to inhibit the immune evasion mechanism of feline infectious peritonitis virus

 

Feline coronavirus exists in two forms: a less harmful (avirulent) strain that can cause mild enteritis and a highly pathogenic (virulent) strain that causes a progressive and usually fatal disease known as feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). Cats living in multi‐cat environments (e.g., shelter cats or cats in breeding catteries) are at a particularly high risk to develop FIP. An effective therapy is currently not available and affected cats usually succumb to their disease. Previous research has shown that FIP virus can evade the host’s immune system and that a specific blocking agent can inhibit this evasion mechanism. It has been shown in a previous project that this agent is well tolerated when administered to healthy cats and that the desired plasma concentration can be achieved with different administration routes.

In this project, the investigators will evaluate the efficacy of the inhibitor as a treatment for FIP in 10 naturally infected cats. In addition, the pharmacological behavior of the compound will be determined in the first 6 cats that enter this study. If the results of this pilot study are promising, the project will be expanded into a randomized, controlled trial. The goal of this project is to improve the quality of life and survival of cats with FIP by enabling the host’s immune system to recognize and destroy infected cells.

This project is available for sponsorship. When you sponsor a project, your name will be added to the list of the project's supporters on our website and in any publications we produce about the project. You will receive exclusive pre-publication reports on the progress of your chosen project as they become available, and a final report at its conclusion.

More on cat health:
Winn Feline Foundation Library
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Winn grant W12-026, a Bria Fund project
Anti-immune evasive therapy in the treatment of FIP - a randomized,
controlled clinical trial
Investigators: Hans Nauwynck, Sabine Gleich; Ghent University, Belgium

This project is a continuation of a previous Winn grant (W10-039): Development of a novel treatment strategy to inhibit the immune evasion mechanism of feline infectious peritonitis virus

 

Feline coronavirus exists in two forms: a less harmful (avirulent) strain that can cause mild enteritis and a highly pathogenic (virulent) strain that causes a progressive and usually fatal disease known as feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). Cats living in multi‐cat environments (e.g., shelter cats or cats in breeding catteries) are at a particularly high risk to develop FIP. An effective therapy is currently not available and affected cats usually succumb to their disease. Previous research has shown that FIP virus can evade the host’s immune system and that a specific blocking agent can inhibit this evasion mechanism. It has been shown in a previous project that this agent is well tolerated when administered to healthy cats and that the desired plasma concentration can be achieved with different administration routes.

In this project, the investigators will evaluate the efficacy of the inhibitor as a treatment for FIP in 10 naturally infected cats. In addition, the pharmacological behavior of the compound will be determined in the first 6 cats that enter this study. If the results of this pilot study are promising, the project will be expanded into a randomized, controlled trial. The goal of this project is to improve the quality of life and survival of cats with FIP by enabling the host’s immune system to recognize and destroy infected cells.

This project is available for sponsorship. When you sponsor a project, your name will be added to the list of the project's supporters on our website and in any publications we produce about the project. You will receive exclusive pre-publication reports on the progress of your chosen project as they become available, and a final report at its conclusion.

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Dietary therapy for feline constipation

Freiche V, Houston D, Weese H, et al. Uncontrolled study assessing the impact of a psyllium-enriched extruded dry diet on faecal consistency in cats with constipation. J Feline Med Surg. 2011; 13: 903-11.
Constipation is a common clinical complaint in cats and can result from a number of different causes. Treatment includes determining and eliminating the cause, if possible, together with medical or, in some cases, surgical management. Medical therapy frequently involves the use of laxatives, enemas, and prokinetic agents such as cisapride. Psyllium is a soluble fibre that exudes a mucilaginous gel that increases fecal bulk. It also adds to stool bulk by additional, water-holding properties. Psyllium has been found to increase stool frequency and consistency in humans with idiopathic constipation. This study involved assessing the use of a highly digestible dry food formula, with added psyllium, in two field trials involving 66 cats with constipation. The main conclusions the authors made from both trials were that the test diet was palatable and well-tolerated, that clinical remission was noted in the majority of the study patients, and that other symptomatic therapy was either not needed in clinical management or could often be discontinued or reduced without recurrence of clinical signs. The authors also noted that both surgical management and euthanasia were being considered in a small number of cats, but were subsequently not required due to the success of dietary therapy. [VT]

Related articles: Trevail TIM, Gunn-Moore D, Carrera I, Courcier E and Sullivan M. Radiographic diameter of the colon in normal and constipated cats and in cats with megacolon. Vet Radiol Ultrasound. 2011; 52: 516-20.

More on cat health:
Winn Feline Foundation Library
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Freiche V, Houston D, Weese H, et al. Uncontrolled study assessing the impact of a psyllium-enriched extruded dry diet on faecal consistency in cats with constipation. J Feline Med Surg. 2011; 13: 903-11.
Constipation is a common clinical complaint in cats and can result from a number of different causes. Treatment includes determining and eliminating the cause, if possible, together with medical or, in some cases, surgical management. Medical therapy frequently involves the use of laxatives, enemas, and prokinetic agents such as cisapride. Psyllium is a soluble fibre that exudes a mucilaginous gel that increases fecal bulk. It also adds to stool bulk by additional, water-holding properties. Psyllium has been found to increase stool frequency and consistency in humans with idiopathic constipation. This study involved assessing the use of a highly digestible dry food formula, with added psyllium, in two field trials involving 66 cats with constipation. The main conclusions the authors made from both trials were that the test diet was palatable and well-tolerated, that clinical remission was noted in the majority of the study patients, and that other symptomatic therapy was either not needed in clinical management or could often be discontinued or reduced without recurrence of clinical signs. The authors also noted that both surgical management and euthanasia were being considered in a small number of cats, but were subsequently not required due to the success of dietary therapy. [VT]

Related articles: Trevail TIM, Gunn-Moore D, Carrera I, Courcier E and Sullivan M. Radiographic diameter of the colon in normal and constipated cats and in cats with megacolon. Vet Radiol Ultrasound. 2011; 52: 516-20.

More on cat health:
Winn Feline Foundation Library
Find us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Read the Cat Health News Weekly
Join us on Google+

Read More