Hofmann-Lehmann
Fakultäten » Vetsuisse-Fakultät » Nutztiere, Departement für » Veterinärmedizinisches Labor » Prof. Dr. Regina Hofmann-Lehmann » Hofmann-Lehmann
Completed research project
| Title / Titel | The kinetics of environmental feline leukemia virus shedding in experimentally infected cats | ||||||||
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| Abstract (PDF, 14 KB) | |||||||||
| Summary / Zusammenfassung | Feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) infection in felids results mainly from oronasal exposure to infectious saliva and nasal secretions, but the potential for viral transmission through faeces and urine has not been completely characterized. In order to assess and compare potential FeLV transmission routes, we determined the viral kinetics in plasma, saliva, faeces and urine during early experimental FeLV infection (up to week 15 post-exposure) in specific pathogen-free cats. In addition to monitoring p27 antigen levels measured by ELISA, we evaluated the presence of infectious particles by cell culture assays and quantified viral RNA loads by a quantitative real-time TaqMan polymerase chain reaction. RNA load was associated with infection outcome (high load—progressive infection; low load—regressive infection) not only in plasma, but also in saliva, faeces and urine. Infectious virus was isolated from the saliva, faeces and urine of infected cats with progressive infection as early as 3–6 weeks post-infection, but usually not in cats with regressive infection. In cats with progressive infection, therefore, not only saliva but also faeces and to some extent urinemight represent potential FeLV transmission routes. These results should be taken into account when modelling FeLV–host interactions and assessing FeLV transmission risk. Moreover, during early FeLV infection, detection of viral RNA in saliva may be used as an indicator of recent virus exposure, even in cats without detectable antigenaemia/viraemia. To determine the clinically relevant outcome of FeLV infection in exposed cats, however, p27 antigen levels in the peripheral blood should be measured. |
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| Publications / Publikationen | Cattori, V., A. Pepin, R. Tandon, H. Lutz, and R. Hofmann-Lehmann. 2009. The kinetics of feline leukaemia virus shedding in experimentally infected cats are associated with infection outcome. Vet Microbiol 133:292-6.Gomes-Keller, A., E. Gönczi, R. Tandon, F. Riondato, R. Hofmann-Lehmann, and H. Lutz. 2006. Detection of feline leukemia virus RNA in saliva from naturally infected cats and correlation with current diagnostic methods. J Clin Microbiol 44: 916-9122.Gomes-Keller, M. A., R. Tandon, E. Gönczi, M. L. Meli, R. Hofmann-Lehmann, and H. Lutz. 2006. Shedding of feline leukemia virus RNA in saliva is a consistent feature in viremic cats. Vet Microbiology 112: 11-21.Cattori, V., R. Tandon, A. Pepin, H. Lutz, and R. Hofmann-Lehmann. 2006. Rapid detection of feline leukemia virus provirus integration into feline genomic DNA. Mol Cell Probes 20:172-178.Tandon, R., V. Cattori, M. A. Gomes-Keller, M. L. Meli, M. C. Golder, H. Lutz, and R. Hofmann-Lehmann. 2005. Quantitation of feline leukaemia virus viral and proviral loads by TaqMan® real-time polymerase chain reaction. J Virol Methods 130: 124-132.Hofmann-Lehmann, R., J. B. Huder, S. Gruber, F. Boretti, B. Sigrist, and H. Lutz. 2001. Feline leukaemia provirus load during the course of experimental infection and in naturally infected cats. J Gen Virol 82:1589-96. | ||||||||
| Keywords / Suchbegriffe | Feline leukemia virus, saliva, feces, urine, viral shedding, pathogenesis, cats, quantitative real-time TaqMan PCR, ELISA | ||||||||
| Project leadership and contacts / Projektleitung und Kontakte |
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| Funding source(s) / Unterstützt durch |
Forschungskredit der Universität Zürich, SNF (Personen- und Projektförderung) R. Hofmann-Lehmann is recipient of a SNF Professorship |
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| Duration of Project / Projektdauer | Oct 2005 to Dec 2007 |