Transmission of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus in a population of cats (Felis catus)

Abstract

The increasing awareness of the ecological impact of domestic cats (Felis catus) as wildlife predators has given rise to much effort in research on cat control, but studies related to the spread of pathogens in natural populations remain almost non-existent. We aimed to determine the infection strategy of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) in a natural population of cats, focusing on qualitative and quantitative aspects of its transmission. FIV is a lethal retrovirus infecting cats world-wide, transmitted by bites. It has an interesting potential as a control agent for this species. We studied an urban population of stray cats over three years, monitoring its epidemiology and its social and spatial structures. Despite a high cat density, both transmission rate and prevalence of FIV were relatively low. Socially dominant males were more likely to be infected. In addition, males of the study population were less often infected than in another population, where a polygynous mating system involved more fights. Infected individuals lived long enough to acquire the virus and infect another cat. Because they were subordinates, non-infected cats had a shorter life expectancy, which would not have permitted the spread of FIV. Thus, FIV infected predominantly at-risk individuals whose social ranking allowed a high probability of retransmitting the virus.

Novel Gammaherpesviruses in North American Domestic Cats, Bobcats, and Pumas: Identification, Prevalence, and Risk Factors

“…Ecologically, domestic cats are relatively divergent from wild felids. Higher densities and the communal behavior of domestic cats, relative to wild cats, could lead to more intraspecific aggressive encounters among males (51,52). Male domestic cats may also defend territories more rigorously than female domestic cats, whereas in the wild felids, territories may be defended by both sexes (52)(53)(54).…”

“…Higher densities and the communal behavior of domestic cats, relative to wild cats, could lead to more intraspecific aggressive encounters among males (51,52). Male domestic cats may also defend territories more rigorously than female domestic cats, whereas in the wild felids, territories may be defended by both sexes (52)(53)(54). Biologic factors, such as hormonal differences, could also potentially influence host immunity or viral reactivation and replication (55).…”

Stochastic extinction and the selection of the transmission mode in microparasites

“…The analysis of the spatial and social structure of cat populations can explain the selective advantage of the transmission by bites compared with other existing routes. Indeed, cats live in small polygynous groups in which contacts between congeners from different groups are almost exclusively restricted to fights between males, leading to frequent bites, or mating, during which the male often bites the female at the neck (Courchamp et al , 2000Liberg et al 2000). The dominant males can roam over long distances in search of receptive females and get involved in fights.…”

An agent‐based movement model to assess the impact of landscape fragmentation on disease transmission

“…The probability of transmission when two simulated bobcats come in contact was set at 0.01, 0.10, or 0.333 (Table 2), based upon FIV transmission rates among domestic cats (Courchamp et al 2000). If the agent becomes infective, the source of infection is determined by randomly selecting an infective agent with whom the agent was in contact.…”