Abstract
Objectives To establish the seroprevalence of Feline Coronavirus (FCoV) infection in two defined groups of cats in Sydney: owned and feral cats; ii) to identify factors associated with an increased risk of infection with FCoV; and iii) to establish the seroprevalence and FCoV antibody titres of owned cats with immunohistochemically confirmed feline infectious peritonitis (FIP).
Design Prospective multi‐institutional cross sectional study.
Procedure Serum samples from owned cats presented to three inner city veterinary clinics in Sydney and feral cats from a colony in South Western Sydney over an 11‐month period were tested for FCoV antibodies using the Immunocomb test kit. The relationship between serological score and six major factors (breed, age, gender, number of cats per household, living environment and health status) in the owned cat sample population was analysed and compared to cats with FIP.
Results The seroprevalence of FCoV infection in the sample population of owned and feral cats was 34% and 0%, respectively. The median Immunocomb scores of DSH, Persian, Siamese and Devon Rex cats were significantly lower than that of Burmese, BSH, Abyssinian, Birman, Ragdoll and Russian Blue. The median Immunocomb score of pedigree cats less than 2 years‐of‐age was significantly higher than for pedigree cats greater than 2 years‐of‐age. This distinction was not evident in DSH cats in these age groups. The number of cats per household at the time of blood collection had a strong positive association with Immunocomb score. The median Immunocomb score of cats with immunohistochemically confirmed FIP was significantly higher than cats in the sample population of owned cats but there was sufficient overlap between these two groups to make definitive diagnosis of FIP by serology impossible.
Conclusion This represents the first seroprevalence study of FCoV in Australia. The major determinants of antibody score of owned cats identified in this study were breed, age and the number of cats per household. The significant relationship between the breed of the cat and the FCoV antibody titre further supports the notion, proposed previously by the authors, that breed related differences exist in the immunological response to FCoV infection.
- BSH
British Shorthair cats
- CAH
Concord Animal Hospital
- DSH
Domestic Shorthair cats
- FCoV
Feline Coronaviruses
- FeCV
Feline enteric coronavirus
- FIP
Feline infectious peritonitis
- FIPV
Feline infectious peritonitis virus
- IFAT
Immunofluorescent antibody test
- ORL
Ordinal logistic regression
- PCH
Paddington Cat Hospital, Sydney
- RSPCA
Royal Society for Prevention of Cruelty t
- UK
United Kingdom
- UVCS
University Veterinary Centre Sydney
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