Feline immunodeficiency virus is shed in semen from experimentally and naturally infected cats.

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1999. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Feline immunodeficiency virus is shed in semen from experimentally and naturally infected cats.

AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 1998 Aug 10;14(12):1087-92. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/98382251
Jordan HL; Howard J; Barr MC; Kennedy-Stoskopf S; Levy JK; Tompkins WA; Harvard Medical School, Division of Viral Pathogenesis, Beth; Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts 02215,; USA.

Abstract: Although a laboratory isolate of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), FIV-NCSU1, has been transmitted by artificial insemination in domestic cats, transmission by naturally infected males during mating has not been reported. In order to determine whether virus shedding in semen is unique to the NCSU1 isolate, we analyzed electroejaculates from four specific-pathogen-free males infected with another laboratory strain, FIV-Petaluma, and eight random source males with naturally acquired infections. Seminal cell lysates from the cats infected with the Petaluma isolate were screened by nested polymerase chain reaction amplification for FIV gag DNA. Seminal cells and seminal plasma from these FIV-Petaluma cats were further analyzed for the presence of virus by cocultivation with a feline CD4+ T cell line and Crandell feline kidney cells. Electroejaculates from the naturally infected cats were cocultivated with the T cell line. Our results demonstrated that cell-free FIV was present in seminal plasma from two FIV-Petaluma cats and two naturally infected cats. Cell-associated seminal virus was detected in all of the FIV-Petaluma infected cats and one naturally infected cat. Secretion of viral gag p26 antigen, an indication of active viral replication, was evident in cocultures containing motile sperm purified by a swim-up procedure from a FIV-Petaluma cat. These results confirm that FIV shedding in semen is not restricted to a specific virus isolate. Furthermore, swim-up sperm from FIV-infected cats may be infectious in vitro.

Keywords: JOURNAL ARTICLE Animal Cats Cell Line Feline Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/*VIROLOGY Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline/*ISOLATION & PURIF Male Semen/*VIROLOGY Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S. *Virus Shedding
990130
A9910996

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