Orchitis in a cat associated with coronavirus infection

J Comp Pathol. 2001 Feb-Apr;124(2-3):219-22. doi: 10.1053/jcpa.2000.0443.

Abstract

A case of severe, pyogranulomatous and necrotizing orchitis in a cat, which later succumbed to systemic feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), is described. The 3.5-year-old cat, positive for feline immunodeficiency virus infection, presented with a left testicular enlargement. A few months after castration the animal was humanely destroyed due to declining health. Post-mortem examination revealed inflammatory lesions in abdominal organs and in the brain compatible with FIP. Infection was confirmed with a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction test and by immunohistochemical demonstration of coronavirus antigen in the affected tissues, including the left testicle. FIP is usually a systemic disease. However, lesions and presenting clinical signs in a single organ system such as the brain are not uncommon. The results of this case study indicate that orchitis, although rare, should be on the list of lesions of FIP.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens, Viral / analysis
  • Cat Diseases / surgery
  • Cat Diseases / virology*
  • Cats
  • Coronavirus, Feline / isolation & purification*
  • DNA, Viral / analysis
  • Feline Infectious Peritonitis / pathology
  • Feline Infectious Peritonitis / surgery
  • Feline Infectious Peritonitis / virology*
  • Immunohistochemistry / veterinary
  • Male
  • Orchitis / surgery
  • Orchitis / veterinary*
  • Orchitis / virology
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / veterinary
  • Testis / pathology
  • Testis / surgery
  • Testis / virology*

Substances

  • Antigens, Viral
  • DNA, Viral