J Vet Sci.  2008 Jun;9(2):207-209. 10.4142/jvs.2008.9.2.207.

Prevalence of feline herpesvirus 1, feline calicivirus and Chlamydophila felis in clinically normal cats at a Korean animal shelter

• Kang BT
• Park HM

• KMID: 1106238
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4142/jvs.2008.9.2.207

Abstract

The prevalence of feline herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1), feline calicivirus (FCV), and Chlamydophila (C.) felis was studied in cats of an animal shelter in Korea. Total 78 cats without ocular and upper respiratory tract disease were examined. Specimens were obtained from ocular conjunctiva and oropharynx. Using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse transcription PCR, three pathogens were simultaneously detected. In examined 78 cats, 49 (63%) cats were positive for FHV-1. However, all specimens were negative for C. felis and FCV. In conclusion, many cats recovered from FHV-1 infection remain subclinical carriers in shelter environment.

Keyword

Chlamydophila felis; feline calicivirus; feline herpesvirus-1

MeSH Terms

Animals
Caliciviridae/genetics
Caliciviridae Infections/epidemiology/*veterinary
Cat Diseases/*epidemiology/*microbiology/*virology
Cats
Chlamydophila/genetics
Chlamydophila Infections/epidemiology/*veterinary
DNA Primers/genetics
Herpesviridae/genetics
Herpesviridae Infections/epidemiology/*veterinary
Housing, Animal
Korea/epidemiology
Prevalence
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Multiplex RT-PCR/PCR amplication of FHV-1, C. felis and FCV from the specimens (S1 and S2) collected from two cats. Molecular size standard markers (M) are shown as base pairs (bp) on the left for comparison. The positive control (P) extracted from commercial vaccine strains shows three bands, and their sizes are 292 bp (for FHV), 673 bp (for FCV) and 1069 bp (for C. felis). S1 and S2 show positive reactions for FHV-1, and they are negative for FCV and C. felis. The negative control (N) is shown on the right.

Reference

1. Bannasch MJ, Foley JE. Epidemiologic evaluation of multiple respiratory pathogens in cats in animal shelters. J Feline Med Surg. 2005. 7:109–119.

2. Burgesser KM, Hotaling S, Schiebel A, Ashbaugh SE, Roberts SM, Collins JK. Comparison of PCR, virus isolation, and indirect fluorescent antibody staining in the detection of naturally occurring feline herpesvirus infections. J Vet Diagn Invest. 1999. 11:122–126.

3. Cai Y, Fukushi H, Koyasu S, Kuroda E, Yamaguchi T, Hirai K. An etiological investigation of domestic cats with conjunctivitis and upper respiratory tract disease in Japan. J Vet Med Sci. 2002. 64:215–219.

4. Gaskell RM, Povey RC. Experimental induction of feline viral rhinotracheitis virus re-excretion in FVR-recovered cats. Vet Rec. 1977. 100:128–133.

5. Helps CR, Lait P, Damhuis A, Björnehammar U, Bolta D, Brovida C, Chabanne L, Egberink H, Ferrand G, Fontbonne A, Pennisi MG, Gruffydd-Jones T, Gunn-Moore D, Hartmann K, Lutz H, Malandain E, Möstl K, Stengel C, Harbour DA, Graat EA. Factors associated with upper respiratory tract disease caused by feline herpesvirus, feline calicivirus, Chlamydophila felis and Bordetella bronchiseptica in cats: experience from 218 European catteries. Vet Rec. 2005. 156:669–673.

6. Holst BS, Berndtsson LT, Englund L. Isolation of feline herpesvirus-1 and feline calicivirus from healthy cats in Swedish breeding catteries. J Feline Med Surg. 2005. 7:325–331.

7. Hoover EA, Kahn DE. Experimentally induced feline calicivirus infection: clinical signs and lesions. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1975. 166:463–468.

8. Maggs DJ, Lappin MR, Nasisse MP. Detection of feline herpesvirus-specific antibodies and DNA in aqueous humor from cats with or without uveitis. Am J Vet Res. 1999. 60:932–936.

9. Mochizuki M, Kawakami K, Hashimoto M, Ishida T. Recent epidemiological status of feline upper respiratory infections in Japan. J Vet Med Sci. 2000. 62:801–803.

10. Nasisse MP, Glover TL, Moore CP, Weigler BJ. Detection of feline herpesvirus 1 DNA in corneas of cats with eosinophilic keratitis or corneal sequestration. Am J Vet Res. 1998. 59:856–858.

11. Pedersen NC, Sato R, Foley JE, Poland AM. Common virus infections in cats, before and after being placed in shelters, with emphasis on feline enteric coronavirus. J Feline Med Surg. 2004. 6:83–88.

12. Rampazzo A, Appino S, Pregel P, Tarducci A, Zini E, Biolatti B. Prevalence of Chlamydophila felis and feline herpesvirus 1 in cats with conjunctivitis in northern Italy. J Vet Intern Med. 2003. 17:799–807.

13. Shewen PE, Povey RC, Wilson MR. A survey of the conjunctival flora of clinically normal cats and cats with conjunctivitis. Can Vet J. 1980. 21:231–233.

14. Stiles J. Treatment of cats with ocular disease attributable to herpesvirus infection: 17 cases (1983-1993). J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1995. 207:599–603.

15. Stiles J, McDermott M, Bigsby D, Willis M, Martin C, Roberts W, Greene C. Use of nested polymerase chain reaction to identify feline herpesvirus in ocular tissue from clinically normal cats and cats with corneal sequestra or conjunctivitis. Am J Vet Res. 1997. 58:338–342.

16. Sykes JE, Allen JL, Studdert VP, Browning GF. Detection of feline calicivirus, feline herpesvirus 1 and Chlamydia psittaci mucosal swabs by multiplex RT-PCR/PCR. Vet Microbiol. 2001. 81:95–108.