Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Detecting coronavirus RNA in cat spinal fluid to diagnose feline
By Felten, Sandra et al.·Published in Viruses·2021·Clinic of Small Animal Medicine, Germany·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Diagnostic Value of Detecting Feline Coronavirus RNA and Spike Gene Mutations in Cerebrospinal Fluid to Confirm Feline Infectious Peritonitis.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of cats with neurological signs was tested for feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), a serious viral disease. Researchers found that 30% of the cats with FIP had the virus present in their cerebrospinal fluid, which is the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. This test was more effective in detecting the virus in cats showing neurological symptoms compared to those without. Unfortunately, the tests for specific mutations in the virus did not provide additional useful information. This study suggests that testing cerebrospinal fluid can help diagnose FIP in cats with neurological issues.
People also search for: cat neurological symptoms · feline infectious peritonitis diagnosis · FIP treatment options · cat cerebrospinal fluid test
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Cats with neurologic feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) are difficult to diagnose. Aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of detecting feline coronavirus (FCoV) RNA and spike (S) gene mutations in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). METHODS: The study included 30 cats with confirmed FIP (six with neurological signs) and 29 control cats (eleven with neurological signs) with other diseases resulting in similar clinical signs. CSF was tested for FCoV RNA by 7b-RT-qPCR in all cats. In RT-qPCR-positive cases, S-RT-qPCR was additionally performed to identify spike gene mutations. RESULTS: Nine cats with FIP (9/30, 30%), but none of the control cats were positive for FCoV RNA in CSF. Sensitivity of 7b-RT-qPCR in CSF was higher for cats with neurological FIP (83.3%; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 41.8-98.9) than for cats with non-neurological FIP (16.7%; 95% CI 6.1-36.5). Spike gene mutations were rarely detected. CONCLUSIONS: FCoV RNA was frequently present in CSF of cats with neurological FIP, but only rarely in cats with non-neurological FIP. Screening for spike gene mutations did not enhance specificity in this patient group. Larger populations of cats with neurological FIP should be explored in future studies.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33513683/