Felid Herpesvirus Type 1 Infection in Cats: A Natural Host Model for Alphaherpesvirus Pathogenesis

Abstract

Feline herpesvirus 1 (FeHV-1) is an alphaherpesvirus that causes feline viral rhinotracheitis, an important viral disease of cats on a worldwide basis. Acute FeHV-1 infection is associated with both upper respiratory and ocular signs. Following the acute phase of the disease lifelong latency is established, primarily in sensory neuronal cells. As is the case with human herpes simplex viruses, latency reactivation can result in recrudescence, which can manifest itself in the form of serious ocular lesions. FeHV-1 infection in cats is a natural host model that is useful for the identification of viral virulence genes that play a role in replication at the mucosal portals of entry or are mediators of the establishment, maintenance, or reactivation of latency. It is also a model system for defining innate and adaptive immunity mechanisms and for immunization strategies that can lead to better protection against this and other alphaherpesvirus infections.

Electric Cell-Substrate Impedance Sensing To Monitor Viral Growth and Study Cellular Responses to Infection with Alphaherpesviruses in Real Time

“…FHV-1 replication in the cornea of the eye generally results in conjunctivitis, but other clinical symptoms, including corneal ulceration and the development of chronic stromal keratitis, are also very common (11–13). Likewise, HSV-1 can cause serious ocular disease in humans, and since FHV-1 ocular infection closely mimics all aspects of the clinical presentation of the disease and the associated immune responses seen in humans, cats are accepted as an excellent comparative model species for ocular HSV-1 infection (14). …”

Coinfection with Clostridium piliforme and Felid herpesvirus 1 in a kitten

“…FHV-1 is commonly latent in the trigeminal ganglion, and its reactivation in adult cats results mainly from stress, with consequent virus shedding within 4-11 days. 7 Tyzzer's disease and feline rhinotracheitis have been described separately in cats. However, coinfection by these 2 diseases has not been reported to our knowledge.…”

“…In extreme and sporadic cases in kittens up to 4 weeks of age, fatal bronchopneumonia may occur. 6,7 Viruses of the Alphaherpesvirinae subfamily remain latent in nervous and lymphoid tissues. FHV-1 is commonly latent in the trigeminal ganglion, and its reactivation in adult cats results mainly from stress, with consequent virus shedding within 4-11 days.…”

Establishment and Characterization of an Air-Liquid Canine Corneal Organ Culture Model To Study Acute Herpes Keratitis

“…For FHV-1, a primary corneal cell culture model has been developed, but in general, FHV-1 ocular pathogenesis studies are almost exclusively done in live animals (4,12). However, the practical use of these animals for in vivo studies is hampered by high animal purchase and maintenance costs, as well as ethical questions on the use of dogs and cats as experimental animals.…”

“…Likewise, it is increasingly recognized that alphaherpesviruses, such as canine herpesvirus type 1 (CHV-1) and feline herpesvirus type 1 (FHV-1), are an important cause of ocular disease in small companion animals. Based on the strong similarities between HSV and CHV-1/FHV-1 regarding ocular pathogenesis and the lesions induced during primary and recurrent infections, dogs and cats represent useful natural-host models for studies on pathogenic mechanisms and viral factors involved in alphaherpesvirus infection in the eye (4,5). Unfortunately, and despite the clinical importance of herpesvirus-induced ocular disease, the underlying pathophysiology of the disease remains poorly understood, in part because of the lack of adequate in vitro models in which to study the cellular and viral factors involved in acute corneal infection.…”