![]() ![]() More recently, a technology called polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has been used to detect viral genetic material in tissue or body fluid. Another, called the immunofluorescence test, can detect viral proteins in virus-infected white blood cells in tissue or body fluids. One of these tests, called the immunoperoxidase test, can detect viral proteins in virus-infected white blood cells in tissue, but a biopsy of affected tissue is necessary for evaluation. Other available tests can, in theory, detect the presence of the virus itself. In cats with suppressed immune systems, FIPV infections may not cause elevated coronavirus titers due to an inability of the immune system to produce sufficient antibodies against the virus. many antibodies against coronavirus), however, is not necessarily more likely to develop FIP or be a carrier of an FIPV than a cat with a low titer. A healthy cat with a high coronavirus titer (i.e. This is particularly true if characteristic fluid (yellow tinged with a high protein and white blood cell concentration) begins to accumulate within body cavities. In spite of this limitation, however, young cats that experience a fever that is not responsive to antibiotics and that have high coronavirus titers are often presumptively diagnosed with FIP (appropriately in most cases). A positive result means only that the cat has had a prior exposure to coronavirus, but not necessarily to FIPV. While antibody levels, or titers, to coronavirus can be measured, they cannot definitively distinguish between exposure to FeCV and FIPV. Unfortunately, there is currently no definitive test to diagnose FIP. Affected cats may develop a pot-bellied appearance due to fluid accumulation in the abdomen, and if the fluid accumulation is excessive, it may become difficult for a cat to breathe normally. The signs of effusive form of FIP usually develop and progress relatively rapidly and include development of the above-mentioned non-specific signs combined with the accumulation of fluid in body cavities, including the abdomen and the thorax (chest cavity). Generally speaking, the signs of the noneffusive form, which may include the non-specific signs listed above as well as neurologic signs including seizures and ataxia (abnormal or uncoordinated movements) develop more slowly than those of the effusive form. It is also important to note that cases of the effusive form of FIP can evolve into the non-effusive form and vice-versa. Regardless of which form they ultimately progress to develop, cats infected with FIPV usually first develop nonspecific signs of disease such as loss of appetite, weight loss, depression, and fever. There are two major forms of FIP, an effusive, or “wet” form and a noneffusive, or “dry” form. Only a small percentage of cats that are exposed to the FeCV develop FIP, and this can occur weeks, months, or even years after initial exposure to FeCV. In most cases, these mild signs are self-limiting. Some cats may show mild upper respiratory symptoms such as sneezing, watery eyes, and nasal discharge, while others may experience mild gastrointestinal signs such as diarrhea. To our knowledge, coronaviruses cannot be passed from infected cats to humans.Ĭats that have been initially exposed to FeCV usually show no obvious symptoms. Once a cat develops clinical FIP, the disease is usually progressive and almost always fatal without therapy that has recently become available, but that has yet to be approved to treat FIP in cats by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (see below). It is this interaction between the body’s own immune system and the virus that is responsible for the development of FIP. An intense inflammatory reaction to FIPV occurs around vessels in the tissues where these infected cells locate, often in the abdomen, kidney, or brain. When this occurs, the virus is referred to as the FIPV. In approximately 10 percent of cats infected with FeCV, one or more mutations of the virus can alter its biological behavior, resulting in white blood cells becoming infected with virus and spreading it throughout the cat’s body. FeCV-infected cats usually mount an immune response through which antibodies against the virus are produced within 7-10 days of infection. Cats infected with FeCV usually do not show any symptoms during the initial viral infection, but may occasionally experience brief bouts of diarrhea and/or mild upper respiratory signs from which they recover spontaneously. These are referred to as feline enteric coronavirus (FeCV). Most strains of feline coronavirus are found in the gastrointestinal tract and do not cause significant disease. Lung Ailments: A Widespread Source of Feline Woeįeline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a viral disease of cats caused by certain strains of a virus called the feline coronavirus. FIP VIDEO - therapeutic targets and better diagnosis ![]()
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