Molecular characterization of Feline paramyxovirus and Feline morbillivirus in cats from Brazil

Feline morbillivirus (FeMV) was isolated for the first time in 2012 with an association with chronic kidney disease (CKD) suggested. This study aimed at investigating in cats from southern Italy FeMV prevalence and risk factors for exposure to FeMV, including the relationship with CKD; sequencing amplicons and analyzing phylogeny of PCR positive samples. Blood serum, K3EDTA blood and urine samples from 223 cats were investigated. Ten carcasses were also evaluated. FeMV RNA was detected in 2.4% (5/211) blood and 16.1% (36/223) urine samples. One carcass tested positive by qPCRFeMV from kidney, urinary bladder, and submandibular lymph nodes. Antibodies against FeMV were detected in 14.5% (28/193) cats. We followed up 27 cats (13 FeMV positive cats) and documented in some cases urine shedding after up to 360 days. Older and foundling cats and cats living in rescue catteries, were more frequently infected with FeMV. A significant correlation between FeMV and higher serum creatinine values or low urine specific gravity was found. FeMV positivity was significantly associated with retroviral infection, and the presence of some clinical signs apart from CKD clinicopathological markers. Our study highlights the possibility of a link between FeMV exposure and CKD and a general impairment of feline health.

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Feline Morbillivirus in Southern Italy: Epidemiology, Clinico-Pathological Features and Phylogenetic Analysis in Cats

Donato

Masucci

Luca

et al. 2021

“…In Europe, FeMV-GT1 has been detected in Germany, Italy, and Turkey [22][23][24][25][26]. In the Americas, FeMV-GT1 has been reported in the USA and Brazil [27][28][29]. Genetic heterogeneity of FeMV-GT1 isolates was found, and phylogenetic analysis of 29 publicly available whole genome sequences suggested the existence of two clades of FeMV-GT1 [14].…”

Section: Virus Properties and Host Spectrummentioning

confidence: 99%

Feline Morbillivirus: Clinical Relevance of a Widespread Endemic Viral Infection of Cats

Pennisi,

Belák,

Tasker

et al. 2023

Feline morbillivirus (FeMV) was first isolated in 2012 from stray cats in Hong Kong. It has been found in association with tubulointerstitial nephritis (TIN), the most common cause of feline chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, viral host spectrum and virus tropism go beyond the domestic cat and kidney tissues. The viral genetic diversity of FeMV is extensive, but it is not known if this is clinically relevant. Urine and kidney tissues have been widely tested in attempts to confirm associations between FeMV infection and renal disease, but samples from both healthy and sick cats can test positive and some cross-sectional studies have not found associations between FeMV infection and CKD. There is also evidence for acute kidney injury following infection with FeMV. The results of prevalence studies differ greatly depending on the population tested and methodologies used for detection, but worldwide distribution of FeMV has been shown. Experimental studies have confirmed previous field observations that higher viral loads are present in the urine compared to other tissues, and renal TIN lesions associated with FeMV antigen have been demonstrated, alongside virus lymphotropism and viraemia-associated lymphopenia. Longitudinal field studies have revealed persistent viral shedding in urine, although infection can be cleared spontaneously.

“…In recent years, with the development of PCR-based and next-generation sequencing techniques, a large number of novel viruses have been identified from cats, including feline morbillivirus (FeMV) [ 16 ], feline bocaparvovirus (FBoV) [ 17 ], felis catus gammaherpesvirus 1 (FcaGHV−1) [ 18 , 19 ], feline kobuvirus (FeKoV) [ 20 ], feline paramyxovirus (FePaV) [ 21 ], domestic cat hepadnavirus (DCH) [ 22 ], feline picornavirus (FePV) [ 23 ], feline norovirus (FNoV) [ 24 ], feline chaphamaparvovirus (FeChPV) [ 25 ], feline picobirnavirus (FePBV) [ 26 ], feline bufavirus (FeBuV) [ 27 ] and feline cyclovirus (FeCyCV) [ 28 ]. Nevertheless, the pathogenicity of these viruses is currently under-studied, although many have been identified in diseased animals.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic Diversity and Evolution of Viruses Infecting Felis catus: A Global Perspective

Xin

et al. 2023

Cats harbor many important viral pathogens, and the knowledge of their diversity has been greatly expanded thanks to increasingly popular molecular sequencing techniques. While the diversity is mostly described in numerous regionally defined studies, there lacks a global overview of the diversity for the majority of cat viruses, and therefore our understanding of the evolution and epidemiology of these viruses was generally inadequate. In this study, we analyzed 12,377 genetic sequences from 25 cat virus species and conducted comprehensive phylodynamic analyses. It revealed, for the first time, the global diversity for all cat viruses known to date, taking into account highly virulent strains and vaccine strains. From there, we further characterized and compared the geographic expansion patterns, temporal dynamics and recombination frequencies of these viruses. While respiratory pathogens such as feline calicivirus showed some degree of geographical panmixes, the other viral species are more geographically defined. Furthermore, recombination rates were much higher in feline parvovirus, feline coronavirus, feline calicivirus and feline foamy virus than the other feline virus species. Collectively, our findings deepen the understanding of the evolutionary and epidemiological features of cat viruses, which in turn provide important insight into the prevention and control of cat pathogens.