Bits & Pieces

FIV

FIV? What's FIV? Feline immunodeficiency virus infection. Oh great -- just what we need, another disease. This one was recently discovered. The books will tell you FIV is not a cattery disease. It is a problem mainly of household cats allowed to roam outdoors. This seems to be changing and has been found in purebred catteries. My guess is that it is present more than we realize, as most of us are unfamiliar with the symptoms.

About four weeks after infrction a fever develops along with transient decrease of white blood cells (leukopenia). These signs will last anywhere from a few days to four weeks. Platelet and reb blood cells remain normal. At the same time, the lymph nodes will be involved in a disease process that will last two to nine months. These symptoms closely resemble the inital stage of FeLV infection. Most FIV-infected cats recover from the initial stage of the disease after a breif period; some kittens, however, may succumb to local or generalized blood poisoning during this period. This initial stage of FIV infectis is somewhat similar to the initial stage of HIV infection in people. People infected with HIV develop a transient mononucleosis-like illness several weeks after infection. Then they return to a state of normal or near-normal health that lasts until the secondary, or AIDS stage, of illness appears.

About one-half of FIV cats develop chronic and progressive infection of the mouth, including the gums, periodontal tissue, cheeks, throat or tongue. Oral lesions may be present for months or years before the diagnosis is made. Though mouth infections are a common feature of FIV, not every7 cat with mouth disease is FIV positive. In fact, less than one-fourth of cats with mouth disease are FIV positive.

One-fourth of FIV cats have chronic upper and/or lower respiratory infections. Please note that chronic rhinitis and sinusitis in cattery-reared cats is not an FIV related disease. This condition usually begins as a kittenhood viral respiratory infection that leads to permanent damage to the nasal and sinus membranes and chronic secondary bacterial infections.

One-sixth of FIV cats develop chronic infections of the skin, including the ear canals. Bacterial skin lesions are usually associated with staphyloccal infections.

Persisten diarrhea due to infection of the intestinal tract is also a frequent problem. Abortion of kittens or other reproductive failures have been seen in infected queens. Some infected cats have experienced seizures, mental deterioration, and othe neurologic disorders. Slow but progressive weight loss also is common, with severe wasting occuring late int eh disease process.

It is probably that some FIV cats have ben infected for several years. There are histories of recurrent illnesses with periods of relative health between episodes. In such cases, leukopenia and anemia also appear to cycle, with episodes of low cell counts followed by recovery to nearly normal levels. However, the overall trend seems to be progressive, with cell counts dropping lower during each subsequent episode.

FIP, which is often linked to FeLV, has yet to be linked iwth FIV> FIV appears to be transmitted predominantly by bites. Clinically ill cats shed more virus in their saliva than apparently normal infected individuals. Transmission by intimate contact in indoor situations, whre biting does not usually occur, is very inefficient. Transmission from infected queens to their kittens, via milk or maternal grooming, also does not occur to any extent. Infected queens, therefore, usually give birth to healthy kittens which remain uninfectec. The transmissibility of the virus by blood-sucking insectes, such as fleas, remains to be determined. Sexual contact probably is not a primary means of infection.

Diagnosis is based onteh history, the clinical signs, and the result of an FIV antibody test, which is available in kit form for use in private veterinary clinics. All prositive results should be confirmed by a second test, preferably using a different procedure. It should be noted that eight to twelve weeks may elapse after infection before detectable antibody levels appear.

At this time there is no cure for FIV, and positive non-clinical cats can live many more years. Perhaps a one cat, pet home is the answer.

Treatment is of the secondary infections associated with FIV. Drugs designed to enhance or modify the immune system may someday be of benefit in treating FIV.

Although FIV is similar to AIDS in humans, it is a highly species-specific agent. Studies indicate people that have had close contact with FIV infected cats show absolutely no evidence themselves of FIV infection. It appears at this time that FIV infections are restriced soley to cats.