Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Parvovirus DNA found in white blood cells of healthy cats
By Balboni, Andrea et al.·Published in BMC veterinary research·2018·Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Molecular analysis of carnivore Protoparvovirus detected in white blood cells of naturally infected cats.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 54 cats in Sardinia was tested for feline panleukopenia virus (FPV) and canine parvovirus (CPV) to see if they were carrying the virus without showing any symptoms. Surprisingly, 9 of the cats had viral DNA in their white blood cells, but they appeared healthy. Some had FPV, while others had different strains of CPV, and one cat had a mix of both viruses. All the cats with viral DNA also had antibodies against the viruses, indicating they had been exposed. This suggests that cats can carry these viruses long-term without getting sick, which is important for understanding how these infections spread.
People also search for: cat parvovirus symptoms · feline panleukopenia virus in healthy cats · asymptomatic cat parvovirus infection
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Cats are susceptible to feline panleukopenia virus (FPV) and canine parvovirus (CPV) variants 2a, 2b and 2c. Detection of FPV and CPV variants in apparently healthy cats and their persistence in white blood cells (WBC) and other tissues when neutralising antibodies are simultaneously present, suggest that parvovirus may persist long-term in the tissues of cats post-infection without causing clinical signs. The aim of this study was to screen a population of 54 cats from Sardinia (Italy) for the presence of both FPV and CPV DNA within buffy coat samples using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The DNA viral load, genetic diversity, phylogeny and antibody titres against parvoviruses were investigated in the positive cats. RESULTS: Carnivore protoparvovirus 1 DNA was detected in nine cats (16.7%). Viral DNA was reassembled to FPV in four cats and to CPV (CPV-2b and 2c) in four cats; one subject showed an unusually high genetic complexity with mixed infection involving FPV and CPV-2c. Antibodies against parvovirus were detected in all subjects which tested positive to DNA parvoviruses. CONCLUSIONS: The identification of FPV and CPV DNA in the WBC of asymptomatic cats, despite the presence of specific antibodies against parvoviruses, and the high genetic heterogeneity detected in one sample, confirmed the relevant epidemiological role of cats in parvovirus infection.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29402272/