Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Feline calicivirus strains causing different cat illnesses
By Prikhodko, Victor G et al.·Published in Virus genes·2014·National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Genetic characterization of feline calicivirus strains associated with varying disease manifestations during an outbreak season in Missouri (1995-1996).
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of cats in a Missouri colony experienced a serious outbreak of feline calicivirus (FCV), which caused severe upper respiratory issues and pneumonia in some kittens, leading to a high mortality rate. One particular strain, identified as strain 21223, was linked to severe illness, while another strain from an asymptomatic cat showed genetic differences but did not correlate with disease severity. Researchers found that multiple strains of FCV were present in the area, causing a range of symptoms from mild respiratory problems to chronic mouth issues like stomatitis and gingivitis. Understanding these strains helps veterinarians manage and treat affected cats more effectively.
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Abstract
Feline calicivirus (FCV) is a common cause of mild to severe upper respiratory tract disease (URTD) in cats. FCV strain 21223 was isolated from a kitten with severe pneumonia in a disease outbreak with unusually high mortality (35 %) that occurred in a Missouri feline colony in 1995-1996. Phylogenetic analysis of the genome sequence of strain 21223 indicated the emergence of a new FCV strain. Analysis of the full-length genome sequence of a closely related (99.5 % nucleotide identity) strain, 3786, obtained from an asymptomatic animal in the same colony four months later, showed the presence of seven amino acid substitutions, with six of them located in the VP1 capsid sequence encoded by ORF2. Comparative analysis of the E-region sequences (426-521 aa ORF2) presumably involved in virus-host cell receptor interactions did not identify amino acid substitutions unique to the virulent strain. We determined the complete genome sequences of four virus isolates that were collected in regional catteries in the months following the outbreak that were associated with different manifestations of the disease (URTD, chronic stomatitis, and gingivitis). We show that genetically distinct FCV strains were cocirculating in the area, and no apparent correlation could be made between overall sequence and observed disease.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24217871/