Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Viruses and bacteria linked to chronic mouth inflammation in cats
By Belgard, Sylvia et al.·Published in Berliner und Munchener tierarztliche Wochenschrift·2010·Medizinische Kleintierklinik der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitä, Germany·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Relevance of feline calicivirus, feline immunodeficiency virus, feline leukemia virus, feline herpesvirus and Bartonella henselae in cats with chronic gingivostomatitis.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of cats with chronic gingivostomatitis (a painful inflammation of the gums and mouth) was found to have a higher presence of feline calicivirus (FCV) compared to healthy cats. In this study, 53.8% of the cats with gingivostomatitis tested positive for FCV, while only 14% of the healthy cats did. Other viruses and bacteria were not significantly linked to the condition. This suggests that FCV is a common factor in cats suffering from chronic gingivostomatitis, and addressing this virus may help in managing the symptoms.
People also search for: cat gingivostomatitis treatment · feline calicivirus symptoms · cat mouth infection causes
Abstract
Despite its common occurrence, the aetiology of chronic gingivostomatitis in cats remains uncertain. Aetiology is likely multifactorial, and several infectious agents may be associated with chronic gingivostomatitis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of feline calicivirus (FCV), feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), feline leukemia virus (FeLV), feline herpesvirus (FHV), and Bartonella henselae (B. henselae) in cats with chronic gingivostomatitis and in an age-matched control group. In addition, other factors, e. g., environmental conditions were investigated. In 52 cats with chronic gingivostomatitis and 50 healthy age-matched control cats, the presence of FCV ribonucleic acid (RNA), and FHV deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) (polymerase chain reaction [PCR] from oropharyngeal swabs), and B. henselae DNA (PCR from oropharyngeal swabs and blood), as well as FeLV antigen (serum), and antibodies against FCV, B. henselae, and FIV (serum) were examined. FCV RNA was significantly more common in cats with chronic gingivostomatitis (53.8%, p < 0.001) than in controls (14.0%); a significant difference was also found in the prevalence of antibodies to FCV between the cats with chronic gingivostomatitis (78.8%, p = 0.023) and controls (58.0%). Of the other infectious agents investigated, there was no significant difference in the prevalence between the cats with chronic gingivostomatitis and the controls. The results of this study allow the conclusion that FCV, but no other infectious agents, is commonly associated with chronic gingivostomatitis in cats.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21038808/