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Feline Leukemia Virus Infection 329

Acute General Treatment PO q 24h, which may be reduced after enhancement observed (and therefore
the cat is stable for a few months
• In cats with effusion, thoracocentesis (p. ○ In cats without effusion: prednisolone increased susceptibility against FIP) in field
VetBooks.ir be performed as needed, especially in cats 2 mg/kg PO q 24h, which may be reduced • Generally not recommended due to lack of Diseases and Disorders
trials
1164) or abdominocentesis (p. 1056) should
efficacy
with dyspnea.
after the cat is stable for a few months
• Oxygen therapy (p. 1146) should be provided
exposed to FCoV beforehand and therefore
lifelong
to cats with dyspnea. but should be continued at a lower dose • If used, limit to cats that have not been
• Cornerstone of treatment for quality of life • Supportive therapy as indicated by clinical have no antibodies.
and prolonging life is immunosuppression condition Prevention of FIP in multi-cat households:
(e.g., with glucocorticoids), but this does ○ Ocular therapy (e.g., uveitis) • Minimizing risk of FCoV transmission
not help all cats. ○ Broad-spectrum antibiotics to control through reduction of infection pressure,
secondary bacterial infections identifying permanent/high-virus excreters,
Chronic Treatment reducing the number of FCoV excreters,
Treatment options include antiviral drugs, Nutrition/Diet maintaining small groups of cats and high
immunomodulating drugs, immunosuppres- Nutritional support, including warming of food, levels of hygiene, breeding of resistant cats
sion, and supportive therapy. Most drugs tested offering multiple types of dry and moist food, • Controlling the development of FIP through
in placebo-controlled, double-blind studies and hand feeding if ill cats are unwilling to reduction of predisposing factors: stress due
fail to show efficacy. For some drugs (e.g., eat, is important in supportive care (p. 1199). to overcrowding, new surroundings, high
antivirals), adverse effects limit their utility. noise level, other illnesses
• Antiviral drugs PROGNOSIS & OUTCOME
○ Proteinase inhibitors and nucleoside Technician Tips
analogues: promising results in cats with • Very poor prognosis irrespective of treatment • FIP is not a contagious infection because the
experimentally induced and naturally • Median survival time in cats after diagnosis mutated virus is not transmitted from cat
occurring FIP but not on the market yet is 8 days. to cat. There is no need to handle a patient
○ Ribavirin: contraindicated because severely • Some (few) cats live longer with immunosup- with FIP as infective and no supplemental
toxic in cats pressive treatment; survival up to 2 years precautions required.
• Immunomodulating drugs after diagnosis has been observed. • Cats with FIP shed no (or less) FCoV than
○ Human interferon-alpha 30 U/CAT PO q cats without FIP from the same environment.
24h on alternating weeks; no controlled PEARLS & CONSIDERATIONS
studies to show efficacy; few to no adverse Client Education
effects Comments • Select new cats from a reputable breeder
○ Feline interferon-omega: no efficacy in a There is no FIP test. Presence of FCoV antibod- with low numbers of cats.
placebo-controlled, double-blind study ies indicates only exposure to a coronavirus, • Catteries should select cats with no FCoV
○ Polyprenyl Immunostimulant: effective which may be pathogenic (and FIP causing) antibodies. Healthy antibody-negative cats
in a case series to prolong life of three or benign. Antibody detection has close to zero are not infected with FCoV and not at risk
cats with FIP without effusion; some value in the diagnosis of FIP but can be used to develop FIP.
effect in an uncontrolled trial in cats in the management of multi-cat households or
without effusion, but controlled studies before considering vaccination. SUGGESTED READING
are missing Hartmann K: Coronavirus infections (canine and
• Immunosuppression (can prolong life of some Prevention feline), including infectious peritonitis. In Ettinger
cats up to 2 years after diagnosis) Intranasal FIP vaccination: SJ, et al, editors: Textbook of veterinary internal
○ In cats with effusion: dexamethasone • Controversy concerning efficacy: discrep- medicine, ed 8, St. Louis, 2017, Elsevier, pp
1 mg/kg q 24h intraperitoneally or ant results from experimental studies and 983-996.
intrathoracically (after removal of the nonconvincing efficacy in few field trials AUTHOR: Katrin Hartmann, Dr.med.vet., Dr.habil.,
effusion) as long as effusion is present, • Safe because no systemic spread of the DECVIM
then followed by prednisolone 2 mg/kg vaccine virus and no antibody-dependent EDITOR: Joseph Taboada, DVM, DACVIM

Feline Leukemia Virus Infection Client Education
Sheet

BASIC INFORMATION GENETICS, BREED PREDISPOSITION • Environmental contamination is not a
No genetic or breed predisposition concern because virus is infectious only
Definition for minutes outside the cat and highly
Viral infection of cats that can result in immu- RISK FACTORS sensitive to desiccation, disinfectants, and
nosuppression, myelosuppression, and neoplasia Free-roaming cats are more likely to be infected. heat.
• Not zoonotic
Epidemiology CONTAGION AND ZOONOSIS
SPECIES, AGE, SEX • Transmission most commonly occurs through GEOGRAPHY AND SEASONALITY
• Mainly domestic cats; feline leukemia virus saliva during grooming, playing, and sharing Worldwide, nonseasonal. Prevalence has
(FeLV) rarely found in wild felids food or water bowls, but also possible through decreased globally (currently ≈2%-3% in the
• Young cats (<1 year old) more likely to biting, transplacentally, or blood transfusions. United States) as a result of testing programs
become progressively infected Often transmitted from queen to kittens and vaccination.

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