Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Acute phase protein and antibody changes in cats with feline
By Giordano, A et al.·Published in Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)·2004·Dipartimento di Patologia Animale, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Changes in some acute phase protein and immunoglobulin concentrations in cats affected by feline infectious peritonitis or exposed to feline coronavirus infection.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of cats with feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) showed increased levels of certain proteins in their blood, which helped confirm their diagnosis. Researchers measured these proteins in both cats with FIP and those exposed to feline coronavirus (FCoV). While all cats had higher protein levels when FIP developed, only the cats that actually got FIP maintained these elevated levels. This study suggests that monitoring these protein changes could help in diagnosing FIP and understanding its progression.
People also search for: cat FIP symptoms · feline coronavirus exposure · cat blood test for FIP · how to diagnose feline infectious peritonitis
Abstract
The possible role of some acute phase proteins (APPs) and immunoglobulins in both the pathogenesis and diagnosis of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) has been investigated. Serum protein electrophoresis and the concentration of haptoglobin (Hp), serum amyloid A (SAA), alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein (AGP), IgG and IgM were evaluated in cats exposed to feline coronavirus (FCoV) and in cats with FIP. The highest concentration of APPs was detected in affected cats, confirming the role of these proteins in supporting a clinical diagnosis of FIP. Repeated samplings from both FIP affected and FCoV-exposed cats showed that when FIP appeared in the group, all the cats had increased APP levels. This increase persisted only in cats that developed FIP (in spite of a decrease in alpha(2)-globulins) but it was only transient in FCoV-exposed cats, in which a long lasting increase in alpha(2)-globulins was observed. These results suggest that changes in the electrophoretic motility of APPs or APPs other than Hp, SAA and AGP might be involved in the pathogenesis of FIP or in protecting cats from the disease.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14623149/