Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
New feline astrovirus strain found in cats in China and its effects
By Wang, Wenjie et al.·Published in Frontiers in veterinary science·2025·School of Pet Science and Technology, China·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Isolation and preliminary pathogenicity of a recent feline astrovirus strain in China.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of cats with diarrhea was tested for viruses, and researchers found a new strain of feline astrovirus (FeAstV) in some of the samples, often alongside feline parvovirus (FPV). When four cats were intentionally infected with the astrovirus, all showed signs of infection, with one cat experiencing temporary diarrhea. The study suggests that the presence of FPV may worsen the effects of FeAstV, leading to more severe symptoms. This research helps clarify how these viruses can cause diarrhea in cats and the importance of considering co-infections in treatment.
People also search for: cat diarrhea causes · feline astrovirus symptoms · cat parvovirus treatment · why is my cat having diarrhea · feline virus co-infection
Abstract
Feline astroviruses (FeAstVs) have been increasingly detected in cats in recent years, yet their isolation and pathogenicity remain poorly characterized. In this study, we screened 86 feline diarrheal samples and identified FeAstV in 9.3% (8/86) of the cases, most of which were co-infected with feline parvovirus (FPV). A FeAstV strain (22SDWH1003-16) was successfully isolated in F81 cells from a single FeAstV positive sample, inducing cytopathic effects (CPEs) over 15 passages. The phylogenetic tree of ORF2 classified the isolate withingroup 1, the most common in the inter-specific transmission within cats. Experimental inoculation of four cats revealed seroconversion in all animals, transient fecal shedding in 3/4 cats, and self-limiting diarrhea in one individual. Co-infection experiments demonstrated enhanced FeAstV replication in the presence of FPV. Our findings provide the direct evidence of FeAstV-induced diarrhea in cats and highlight the role of viral co-infections in disease severity.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40765745/