Changes

==Control==

==Control==

As the most significant mode of transmission of FIV is by biting, FIV positive animale should be neutered and, if possible, kept indoors to prevent onward spread of infection. At the very least, infected cats should be kept in at night, since this is when the majority of cat fights occur². In multicat households,  

As the most significant mode of transmission of FIV is by biting, FIV positive animale should be neutered and, if possible, kept indoors to prevent onward spread of infection. At the very least, infected cats should be kept in at night, since this is when the majority of cat fights occur². In multicat households, the other cats should be tested for FIV antibody. Positive cats can then be segregated or rehomed so that FIV-negative cats do not contract infection. However, if fighting seldom occurs within a household, the risk of horizontal transmission is low and so many owners elect to keep the household as it is. If this is the case, cats should be fed from separate bowls, and bowls, litter trays and other fomites should be routinely disinfected. FIV positive queens should not be used for breeding, and any kittens that do happen to be born from infected mothers should be hand-reared to minimise the risk of infection through milk². Kittens should then be antibody testsed  after six months of age.

 

Although an inactivated whole-virus vaccine is available, its efficacy is highly variable and often low after three doses⁵. The vaccine is not available in the UK, and the WSAVA guidelines advise against its use as it can later prevent diagnosis of FIV associated disease. One of the major obstacles to vaccine design is the massive genomic variability between FIV strains. It is unlikely that any effective FIV vaccine will appear on the market for several years².

concerns with respect to the other cats in the household.

These cats should be FIV antibody tested, with one

option being to segregate or rehome any positive cats to

eliminate the risk of transmission of infection. However,

since the risk of transmission by social contact is low,

many owners elect to keep the household as it is. It may

be of benefit to feed cats using separate food bowls since

is readily killed by disinfectants and dies within a few

hours outside the cat, so the risk of transmission of infection

via fomites is generally low. Litter trays and food

bowls should be disinfected to inactivate the virus.

FIV-positive queens should not be bred from. Any

kittens that are born should ideally be hand-reared to

reduce the risk of infection via the milk. The kittens

should be FIV antibody tested when six months old.

At present, there are no vaccines available for the

prevention of FIV infection and it is unlikely that any

will appear on the market for several years.

==Prognosis==

==Prognosis==