Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1987. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
FELINE ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME: A FELINE RETROVIRUS-INDUCED SYNDROME OF PET CATS
Animal Models of Retrovirus Infection and Their Relationship to AIDS. Salzman LA, ed. Orlando, Florida, Academic Press, p. 75-93, 1986.. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE ICDB/87629267 Hardy WD Jr; Lab. of Veterinary Oncology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer; Center, New York, NY
Abstract:
The etiologic and therapeutic aspects of human and feline acquired immune deficiency syndromes (AIDS) are compared in this chapter. In an introduction, comparisons of human AIDS and feline AIDS (FAIDS) with respect to immune parameters and secondary intercurrent diseases are presented in tables; also, common opportunistic infectious diseases in feline leukemia virus (FeLV)-infected cats with AIDS are given in an additional table. Following this introduction, FeLV and FAIDS are further considered under the following section headings: feline leukemia virus (virology, epidemiology), pathogenesis of FeLV infection, FeLV diseases, and FeLV-induced FAIDS (opportunistic infectious diseases; thymic atrophy; lymphoid depletion; neutropenias; T lymphocyte dysfunctions; B lymphocyte dysfunctions; FeLV circulating immune complexes; therapeutic removal of circulating immune complexes; mechanism of FeLV-induced immunosuppression). Similar to AIDS patients, many FeLV-infected pet cats develop immune cell alterations characterized by a drastic reduction in the numbers of lymphocytes and neutrophils and immune cell dysfunctions consisting of cutaneous anergy, reduced T cell blastogenesis, and impaired antibody response to low numbers of sheep RBCs or to a polypeptide synthetic antigen. FeLV is a naturally occurring contagiously transmitted retrovirus of pet cats that causes both neoplastic and non-neoplastic diseases. The virus induces immunity in about 40% of exposed cats, but causes immunosuppression in those cats that become persistently infected. FeLV-induced diseases are the leading cause of death from an infectious agent in pet cats. The virus can cause degenerative (blastopenic) or proliferative (neoplastic) diseases involving the cells in which it replicates. FeLV also causes fetal abortions and resorptions. (66 Refs)
Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/EPIDEMIOLOGY/IMMUNOLOGY/ MICROBIOLOGY/THERAPY/*VETERINARY Animal Antigen-Antibody Complex/IMMUNOLOGY Atrophy B-Lymphocytes/IMMUNOLOGY Cat Diseases/*ETIOLOGY/THERAPY Cats Comparative Study Female Genes, Viral Human HIV/ISOLATION & PURIF Leukemia Virus, Feline/IMMUNOLOGY Leukocyte Count Lymphatic Diseases/VETERINARY Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin's/ETIOLOGY/VETERINARY Male Neutropenia/VETERINARY Neutrophils Opportunistic Infections/VETERINARY T-Lymphocytes/IMMUNOLOGY Thymus Gland/PATHOLOGY Viral Envelope Proteins/GENETICS MONOGRAPH
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Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1987. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
