Cats with clinical signs suggestive of ocular infection with feline herpesvirus type 1 (FHV 1) and cats without such signs were assayed by 3 methods to detect FHV. Comparison of polymerase chain reaction (PCR), virus isolation, and indirect fluorescent antibody staining techniques for the detection of FHV demonstrated higher sensitivity of PCR in detecting this common infectious agent of cats. Compared with PCR, sensitivity and specificity for virus isolation was 49% and 100%, respectively, and those of indirect immunofluorescence were 29% and 96%, respectively. FHV was detected in 13.7% of client-owned cats with conjunctivitis and in 31% of shelter cats with no ocular signs. The use of FHV PCR as a diagnostic test for FHV-associated disease is limited because of the occurrence of healthy carriers.

Extracellular accumulations of excitatory amino acids (EAAs) may mediate ischemic neuronal damage. Metabolic insults can decrease Na+ and K+ plasma membrane gradients, thereby reducing the driving force for uptake of EAAs into cells by Na(+)-dependent EAA cotransporters. EAA accumulations could result from decreased uptake and increased release due to reversal of these cotransporters. ATP depletion, uptake, and release of EAAs were measured by HPLC in slices treated with metabolic inhibitors. Inhibition and reversal of cotransporters were determined by uptake or release of D,L-threo-beta-hydroxyaspartate (OH-Asp), an EAA analog with high affinity for cotransporters. Moderate ATP depletion (7 > ATP nmol/mg protein > 3) reduced uptake by cotransporters without increasing release of EAAs. When ATP was severely depleted (ATP < 2 nmol/mg protein), increased release of EAAs and preloaded OH-Asp occurred, consistent with reversal of cotransporters. Release of glutamine and asparagine was not increased, confirming that release was not primarily due to nonselective increased membrane permeability. ATP depletion and ouabain acted synergistically to produce EAA release, strongly suggesting release was largely mediated by inhibition of Na/K-ATPases. Severe ATP depletion decreased glutamate-like immunoreactivity primarily in axonal terminal-like structures, suggesting release occurred primarily from terminals. Moderate ATP depletion may increase extracellular EAAs by decreasing uptake. Severe ATP depletion may further increase EAAs by reversing uptake, thereby releasing cytosolic neuronal pools of EAAs.