Detection of feline immunodeficiency virus subtypes A and B circulating in the city of Buenos Aires.

Abstract

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), genus Lentivirus, is responsible for feline immunodeficiency syndrome in domestic cats. FIV has been classified into six subtypes: A, B, C, D, E and F, based on regions of the env gene as well as the gag gene. In Argentina, the circulation of subtypes B and E was reported more than two decades ago. The objective of this work was to study the FIV variants circulating presently in the city of Buenos Aires in naturally infected cats utilizing a nested PCR targeting the gag gene. A phylogenetic comparison with representative sequences of five previously published subtypes shows a clustering with subtypes A and B. This is the first report of FIV subtype A in Argentina.