Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Feline leukemia and immunodeficiency virus rates in cats with bite
By Goldkamp, Carrie E et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2008·Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Seroprevalences of feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus in cats with abscesses or bite wounds and rate of veterinarian compliance with current guidelines for retrovirus testing.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A study found that many cats with bite wounds or abscesses tested positive for feline leukemia virus (FeLV) or feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). Out of nearly 1,000 cats treated, about 19% were already infected with one or both viruses, but only a small number were retested for these infections after their injuries. The researchers noted that compliance with testing recommendations was low, with only 13% of cats being retested. It's important for pet owners to know their cat's retrovirus status, especially after injuries, to ensure proper care and treatment.
People also search for: cat bite wound infection · feline leukemia virus symptoms · FIV testing after injury
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine the seroprevalences of and seroconversion rates for FeLV and FIV infection in cats treated for bite wounds and cutaneous abscesses and to evaluate compliance with recommendations to determine the retrovirus infection status of cats at acquisition and 60 days after a high-risk event. DESIGN: Prospective study. ANIMALS: 967 cats from 134 veterinary practices in 30 states. PROCEDURES: Cats with bite wounds or abscesses were evaluated by use of a point-of-care immunoassay for blood-borne FeLV antigen and FIV antibody. Veterinarians were asked to retest cats approximately 60 days later to determine whether seronegative cats had seroconverted after injury. RESULTS: The combined FeLV-FIV status of only 96 (9.9%) cats was known prior to wound treatment. At the time of treatment, 187 (19.3%) cats were seropositive for 1 or both viruses. Age (adult), sex (male), history of cutaneous wounds, and outdoor access were significantly associated with seropositivity. At 73 of 134 (54.5%) veterinary practices, retesting of cats for retrovirus infection status was recommended to owners of 478 cats. Only 64 (13.4%) cats were retested; of these, 3 of 58 (5.2%) cats that were initially seronegative for FIV antibody seroconverted. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: A high proportion of cats with abscesses or bite wounds were seropositive for FeLV antigen or FIV antibody. Compliance with recommendations to test cats for retrovirus infection status at acquisition or after treatment for injury was low. The FeLV-FIV infection status of cats with potential fight wounds should be determined at time of treatment and again 60 days later.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18412524/