6th International AIDS Conference


San Francisco, California, USA — June 20-23, 1990

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Evaluation of pre- and post-infection azidothymidine (AZT) therapy in feline leukemia virus (FeLV) infected cats.

Int Conf AIDS 1990 Jun 20-23; 6:331 (abstract no. 1071)
Mathes LE, Polas PJ, Hayes KA, Johnson S, Rojko JL, Kociba GJ; The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA

OBJECTIVES: To determine the antiviral efficacy of AZT in FeLV infected cats for treatments initiated at various times after virus challenge.

METHODS: Cats were administered 60 mg/kg/day AZT by continuous infusion for a period of 4 wks beginning at 48 hr before and 24, 48, and 96 hr after FeLV challenge. All cats were followed for 20 wks and evaluated weekly for FeLV viremia and antibody to FeLV.

RESULTS: The incidence of viremia was 1 out of 7, 2 of 6, 1 of 6 and 0 of 5 for AZT treatments initiated at -48, 24, 48, and 96 hrs after challenge, respectively. Six of 6 challenge controls developed chronic viremia. Most AZT treated animals had evidence of transient virus infection as indicated by high anti-FeLV antibody titers and transient FeLV antigenemia.

CONCLUSION: Continuous infusion AZT therapy at 60 mg/kg/day was efficacious against FeLV challenge in cats even when initiated 96 hours after virus challenge. Most animals including those treated prophylactically had evidence of transient FeLV infections, indicating that even a relatively high dose of AZT is not effective in totally preventing infection. The study suggests that AZT therapy may be effective in preventing the early spread of FeLV and allowing antiviral immunity to be established.

Keywords: AEGIS, Leukemia Virus, Feline, Zidovudine, Evaluation Studies, Viremia, Antiviral Agents, Vaccination, Immunization, Secondary, Cats, Animal, therapy, nursing, pathogenicity, drug therapy, ICA6KWDaegis,leukemiavirus,feline,zidovudine,evaluationstudies,viremia,antiviralagents,vaccination,immunization,secondary,cats,animal,therapy,nursing,pathogenicity,drugtherapy,ica6

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1071

Copyright © 1990 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.