Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Feline herpesvirus linked to higher nasal inflammation genes in cats
By Johnson, Lynelle R & Maggs, David J·Published in Veterinary microbiology·2005·Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Feline herpesvirus type-1 transcription is associated with increased nasal cytokine gene transcription in cats.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of cats with chronic nasal discharge were tested for feline herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1), which is known to cause respiratory issues. Out of 21 cats, 14 were found to have the virus, and those with FHV-1 showed higher levels of certain immune markers in their nasal samples, indicating inflammation. This suggests that FHV-1 may play a significant role in causing nasal problems in cats. If your cat has ongoing nasal discharge, it might be worth discussing FHV-1 testing with your veterinarian.
People also search for: cat nasal discharge treatment · feline herpesvirus symptoms · cat respiratory infection causes
Abstract
The etiopathogenesis of chronic nasal discharge in the cat is poorly understood. The objective of this study was to investigate alterations in transcription of genes for cytokines and chemokines in association with feline herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1) mRNA transcription. Nasal samples from 21 cats were submitted for FHV-1 virus isolation (VI), traditional endpoint polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection of FHV-1 DNA, and quantitative real-time TaqMan PCR analysis of cytokines and chemokines (interleukin [IL]-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12p40, IL-16, IL-18, interferon [IFN]-gamma, tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-alpha, and regulated on activation normal T cell expressed and secreted protein [RANTES]) and of FHV-1 mRNA and DNA. Co-infection with feline calicivirus or Chlamydophila spp. was excluded in all cats. Gene transcription in nasal samples from four specific pathogen free (SPF) cats served as the calibrator for cytokines. FHV-1 was detected by VI in 14 of 21 samples, by traditional PCR in 18 of 21 samples, and by quantitative PCR in 13 (mRNA+) and 18 (DNA+) samples. Nasal samples from cats positive for FHV-1 mRNA displayed significantly increased transcription of IL-6, IL-10, IL-12p40, IL-18, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, and RANTES (P<0.05) in comparison to samples from cats negative for FHV-1 mRNA. The cycle threshold for FHV-1 DNA was significantly higher in cats with detectable FHV-1 mRNA (P<0.05). Increased transcription of cytokines/chemokines in cats with detectable mRNA for FHV-1 suggests a role for FHV-1 in nasal inflammation.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15939557/