Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Testing fluid from cats for feline coronavirus to diagnose infectious
By Longstaff, Louise et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2017·Langford Veterinary Services and School of Veterinary Sciences, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Feline coronavirus quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction on effusion samples in cats with and without feline infectious peritonitis.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of cats with fluid buildup in their abdomen were tested for feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), a serious viral disease. Out of 20 cats diagnosed with FIP, 17 tested positive for feline coronavirus (FCoV) RNA, while none of the 23 cats with other health issues showed the virus. The study found that most of the FCoV-positive cats had specific genetic changes linked to the more severe form of the virus. This suggests that testing for FCoV in abdominal fluid could help vets diagnose FIP more accurately.
People also search for: cat fluid in abdomen · feline infectious peritonitis symptoms · FIP diagnosis test for cats
Abstract
Objectives The aim of the study was to determine whether feline coronavirus (FCoV) RNA in effusion samples can be used as a diagnostic marker of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP); and in FCoV RNA-positive samples to examine amino acid codons in the FCoV spike protein at positions 1058 and 1060 where leucine and alanine, respectively, have been associated with systemic or virulent (FIP) FCoV infection. Methods Total RNA was extracted from effusion samples from 20 cats with confirmed FIP and 23 cats with other diseases. Feline coronavirus RNA was detected using a reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay (qRT-PCR), and positive samples underwent pyrosequencing of position 1058 with or without Sanger sequencing of position 1060 in the FCoV spike protein. Results Seventeen (85%) of the effusion samples from 20 cats with FIP were positive for FCoV RNA, whereas none of the 23 cats with other diseases were positive. Pyrosequencing of the 17 FCoV-positive samples showed that 11 (65%) of the cats had leucine and two (12%) had methionine at position 1058. Of the latter two samples with methionine, one had alanine at position 1060. Conclusions and relevance A positive FCoV qRT-PCR result on effusions appears specific for FIP and may be a useful diagnostic marker for FIP in cats with effusions. The majority of FCoVs contained amino acid changes previously associated with systemic spread or virulence (FIP) of the virus.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26474594/