Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Detecting papillomavirus DNA in queens and kittens with PCR
By Thomson, N A et al.·Published in Veterinary microbiology·2015·Institute of Veterinary·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: The use of quantitative PCR to detect Felis catus papillomavirus type 2 DNA from a high proportion of queens and their kittens.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of healthy mother cats (queens) and their kittens were tested for a virus linked to skin cancer called Felis catus papillomavirus type 2 (FcaPV-2). Researchers found that almost all the kittens had been exposed to the virus just two days after birth, likely from their mothers. The amount of virus varied greatly between different households, but the kittens' exposure was closely related to their mothers' levels. This study highlights that kittens are often exposed to this virus early in life, which could be important for understanding how to prevent infections in cats.
People also search for: cat skin cancer virus · FcaPV-2 in kittens · how do kittens get viruses from mother · preventing cat papillomavirus infection
Abstract
Squamous cell carcinomas are common feline skin cancers that have been associated with infection with Felis catus papillomavirus type 2 (FcaPV-2). Currently, little is known about the epidemiology of FcaPV-2 infection. The aim of this study was to develop a real-time PCR assay to quantify FcaPV-2 DNA in plucked hairs and skin swabs from 11 healthy breeding queens and their kittens. Samples were taken prior to kittening and then 2, 7 and 28 days after kittening to determine the age at which the kittens were first exposed to the virus. FcaPV-2 DNA was amplified from all of the queens and from 91% of the kittens at 2 days of age. There was a wide range in the quantity of FcaPV-2 DNA detected, from 1 to 92,520 copies per swab, and from 0.01 to 234 copies per copy of reference gene DNA in the hair plucks. The quantity of FcaPV-2 DNA detected in samples collected from the kittens was strongly correlated to that of their respective queens and the mean viral DNA load was similar for cats within a household but varied significantly between households. This is the first time that quantitative PCR has been used to detect FcaPV-2 DNA and the results suggest that the virus is ubiquitous but there is a wide variation of viral DNA loads. Kittens appear to be exposed to FcaPV-2 early in life, presumably from direct contact with their queen. These results are important when determining if FcaPV-2 infection of cats is preventable.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25541379/