Feline Calicivirus
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Introduction
The normal hosts for this virus are domestic cats and cheetahs. The virus has a high morbidity/low mortality rate, but affected animals can be further compromised by concurrent infection. The incubation period is 2-10 days.
Clinical signs include:
- Vesicles and ulcers of the oral epithelium (2-5mm)
- Nasal and ocular discharge
- Sneezing
- Anorexia
Variable signs include:
- Pyrexia
- Dyspnoea
- Conjunctivitis
- Rhinitis
- Tracheitis
- Pneumonia
Differential Diagnoses may include:
- Feline Herpes
- Clamydophila felis
- Bordetella bronchiseptica
Recovery can be followed by carrier status
Epidemiology
- FCV is endemic worldwide
- Transmission occurs through direct contact with secretions of carrier cats or indirect contact via drinking bowls, etc
- Clinical disease is most frequently seen in kittens
- Active immunity formed by 1 year of age
- Transmission occurs from diseased and recovered (carrier) animals
- Antigenic variation means that subclinical reinfections can occur
Antigenicity
- Single serotype with antigenic variation
Strains
Recent strains have been shown to cause systemic disease:
- Initial upper respiratory signs are followed by:
- Severe pyrexia
- Oedema, particularly of the head and limbs
- Skin ulcers
- Icterus and Petchiae
- Mortality of up to 50%, and higher in cats over 1 year of age
- Conventional vaccination ineffective
Diagnosis
- Clinical signs unhelpful due to differentials
- Nasal, conjunctival, or oropharyngeal swabs taken for virus isolation
- Diagnosed by pyknosis (Feline herpes causes cellular swelling and syncitia)
Control
Virulent isolate outbreak:
- Quarantine and restrict movement
Prevention:
- Vaccination:
- Live or dead vaccines available
- Contain broadly cross-reactive strains
- In combination with feline herpes and panleukopenia virus
- Live nose-drop vaccine now available in US
- Particular concern for catteries
- Rhinitis,
- Suggested in the presence of ulceration of the dorsal and lateral edges of the tongue, hard palate and external nares
- Lesions present may include interstitial pneumonia with necrotising bronchiolitis
- Also see Feline viral rhinotracheitis above