The first study on clinicopathological changes in cats with feline infectious peritonitis with and without retrovirus coinfection

Wassamon Moyadee; Natdaroon Chiteafea; Supansa Tuanthap; Kiattawee Choowongkomon; Sittiruk Roytrakul; Oumaporn Rungsuriyawiboon; Chaiwat Boonkaewwan; Natthasit Tansakul; Amonpun Rattanasrisomporn; Jatuporn Rattanasrisomporn

doi:10.14202/vetworld.2023.820-827

The first study on clinicopathological changes in cats with feline infectious peritonitis with and without retrovirus coinfection

Vet World. 2023 Apr;16(4):820-827. doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2023.820-827. Epub 2023 Apr 20.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Center for Advanced Studies for Agriculture and Food, Institute for Advanced Studies, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand.
² Graduate Program in Animal Health and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand.
³ Department of Companion Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand.
⁴ Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Rajamangala University of Technology Tawan-ok, Chonburi, Thailand.
⁵ Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand.
⁶ Functional Proteomics Technology Laboratory, Functional Ingredients and Food Innovation Research Group, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, National Science and Technology for Development Agency, Pathum Thani, Thailand.
⁷ Department of Veterinary Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Technology, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand.
⁸ Akkhraratchakumari Veterinary College, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand.
⁹ Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand.
¹⁰ Interdisciplinary of Genetic Engineering and Bioinformatics, Graduate School, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand.

Abstract

Background and aim: Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is an infectious, immune-mediated, and fatal disease in cats caused by a mutant feline coronavirus (FCoV) infection. Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline leukemia virus (FeLV) are two common retroviruses that play a role in reducing feline immune function with opportunistic retrovirus infection being a predisposing factor for the development of FIP. This study aimed to evaluate the clinicopathological parameters of FIP in cats with and without retrovirus coinfection.

Materials and methods: In total, 62 cats presenting with pleural and/or peritoneal effusion at the Kasetsart University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand, were selected for the study. Effusion samples were collected and a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay was performed on all samples using the 3' untranslated region primer. All FCoV-positive cats were tested for retrovirus infection using a commercial kit (Witness FeLV-FIV [Zoetis]; United States). Clinical signs, hematological, and biochemical parameters of these cats were investigated and grouped.

Results: Of the 62 cats with pleural and/or peritoneal effusion, FCoV was detected in 32, of which 21 were highly suspicious for FIP. The cats suspected of FIP were divided into three subgroups following viral detection. A total of 14 had only FCoV infection (Group A), four had FCoV and FeLV infection (Group B), and three had FCoV, FeLV, and FIV infection (Group C). Of the rest, 11 had definitive diagnoses, which included three being FCoV and FeLV-positive (Group D), and eight were retrovirus-negative (Group E). Mild anemia and lymphopenia were found in cats infected with these three viruses. An albumin-to-globulin ratio lower than 0.5 was found in FIP cats with only FCoV infection.

Conclusion: Typically, cats with clinical effusion and FIP, with and without retrovirus coinfection, had similar hematological findings. Clinical signs, blood parameters, fluid analysis with cytological assessment, and RT-PCR assays could identify better criteria to diagnose FIP with and without retrovirus coinfection.

Keywords: effusion; feline immunodeficiency virus; feline infectious peritonitis; feline leukemia virus; reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction.