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Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery logoLink to Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery
. 2009 Dec 1;11(12):1031–1034. doi: 10.1016/j.jfms.2009.08.005

Prevalence of feline coronavirus in two cat populations in Malaysia

Saeed Sharif 1, Siti S Arshad 2, Mohd Hair-Bejo 3, Abdul R Omar 4, Nazariah A Zeenathul 5, Mohd A Hafidz 6
PMCID: PMC7128893  PMID: 19818660

Abstract

The prevalence of feline coronavirus (FCoV) was studied in two catteries in Malaysia. Rectal swabs or faecal samples were collected from a total of 44 clinically healthy Persian purebred and mix-breed cats. RNA extracted from the faecal material was subjected to a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using primers flanking for a conserved region of the virus genome. The overall prevalence of FCoV infection was 84% and the infection rate was higher in Persian purebred cats (96%) than mix-breed cats (70%). There was no significant association between the age or gender of tested cats and shedding the virus. This study is the first PCR-based survey for FCoV in Malaysia and showed the ubiquitous presence of FCoV in Malaysian cat colonies.

Contributor Information

Saeed Sharif, Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.

Siti S. Arshad, Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia  suri@vet.upm.edu.my

Mohd Hair-Bejo, Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.

Abdul R. Omar, Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

Nazariah A. Zeenathul, Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

Mohd A. Hafidz, Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

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