Prevalence of feline calicivirus, feline leukaemia virus and antibodies to FIV in cats with chronic stomatitis

Abstract

The prevalence of feline calicivirus (FCV), feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) antibodies were assessed in 78 British and 18 North American household cats with chronic stomatitis and in appropriate controls. In British cats, FCV was significantly (P less than 0.005) more prevalent in both hospital (92 per cent) and general practice (79 per cent) cases compared to their controls (19 per cent in both cases). A similar difference in prevalence of FCV was noted in North American cats where 50 per cent of cases were positive compared to 0 per cent of controls (P less than 0.01). FeLV prevalence was low in all chronic stomatitis populations. A significantly higher prevalence of antibody to FIV was found in British hospital cases (81 per cent) compared with time-matched controls (16 per cent) (P less than 0.001): a similar rate was found in the general practice cases (75 per cent) for which no controls were available. In the North American sample, FIV antibody status was similar in cases (54 per cent positive) and their age, sex and breed matched controls (50 per cent). The possible role of FCV and FIV in the pathogenesis of feline chronic stomatitis is discussed.

Feline herpesvirus

“…However a similar number of cats were also shedding FCV, and previous studies have generally detected FCV rather than FeHV-1 from cats with this syndrome [66,110,133,136,145].…”

Feline calicivirus

“…The most striking association is with the severe chronic oral disease, lymphoplasmacytic gingivitis stomatitis (LPGS) complex. In some studies, approximately 80% of cats with LPGS have been shedding FCV compared to 20% of controls [52,59,109]. Although acute faucitis has been reproduced experimentally [91], the chronic disease has not been induced in experimental cats [53,79].…”

“…Although acute faucitis has been reproduced experimentally [91], the chronic disease has not been induced in experimental cats [53,79]. It is therefore likely that factors not associated with FCV, including other pathogens [52,322 A.D. Radford et al 59,116] and host factors [37], may also play a role in this complex and serious syndrome. There have been several attempts to identify consistent genetic and antigenic differences between FCV isolates from cats with LPGS and those from cats with other FCV-associated diseases, and these have met with variable results.…”

Suppression of feline immunodeficiency virus infection in vivo by 9-(2-phosphonomethoxyethyl)adenine.

“…Feline caliciviruses and feline herpesvirus are associated with oropharyngeal disease in cats (28). The oropharyngeal symptoms ofchronic infections are observed in about 50% of FIV cats in North America (19) and Japan (29).…”