Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Testing and managing feline leukemia and immunodeficiency viruses
By Little, Susan et al.·Published in The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne·2011·Bytown Cat Hospital, Canada·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus in Canada: recommendations for testing and management.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) are important viral infections that affect cats in Canada. Research shows that testing for these viruses is not done as often in Canada as it is in the United States, which means many cats may not be diagnosed or treated properly. The study suggests that veterinarians and cat owners should be better educated about the importance of testing for these viruses, and new testing methods should be carefully evaluated for their reliability. Additionally, more research is needed on different types of FIV in Canada to help improve diagnosis, vaccines, and understanding of how these diseases affect cats. Overall, the focus is on improving testing and management practices for these viral infections in cats.
Abstract
Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) are common and important infectious disease agents of cats in Canada. Seroprevalence data for FeLV and FIV in various populations of Canadian cats are reviewed and recommendations for testing and management of infections by these viruses in cats in Canada are presented. Retrovirus testing in Canada is infrequent in comparison with the United States, and efforts should be focused on reducing physical and other barriers to testing, and on education of veterinarians, veterinary team members, and cat owners regarding the importance of testing. New test methodologies for FeLV and FIV are emerging, and should be independently evaluated in order to provide practitioners with information on test reliability. Finally, more information is needed on FIV subtypes in Canada to improve diagnostics and vaccines, and to provide information on disease outcomes.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22294790/