Feline Leukemia Virus
| Feline Leukemia Virus | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Feline Leukemia Virus |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Systematics | ||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||
| Taxonomic characteristics | ||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||
| Scientific name | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Feline leukemia virus | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Short name | ||||||||||||||||||||
| FeLV | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Left | ||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Feline Leukemia Virus ( FeLV ) is a cat-specific virus and was given its name because of the pathogens to the creation of feline leukemia can lead. The feline leukemia virus is a gamma retro virus that occurs in four subtypes (A, B, C and T), but only subtype A is responsible for the disease.
The disease is often incorrectly referred to as "feline leukosis" and the pathogen as "feline leukosis virus". However, leukosis is a collective term for white blood cell tumors. Therefore, this term is misleading and should not be used for FeLV infection .
distribution
The virus was first described in 1964 and occurs worldwide. It is transmitted through the ingestion of infectious material via the mucous membranes and bite wounds in direct contact with an infected animal, as well as transplacentally (i.e. via the placenta from the mother cat to the fetus during pregnancy ). The viruses in these cases are highly contagious. Indirect transmission through virus-containing saliva can also occur when feeding or drinking vessels are shared. However, this happens less often because the virus is very susceptible to environmental influences: at room temperature, it loses its infectiousness within a few minutes. Commercially available dishwashing detergents and household cleaners also inactivate the viruses. The incubation period can last from months to years.
FeLV infection is restricted to members of the cat family ; other animals and humans are not endangered. The colostrum appears to protect kittens by passive immunization during the first month of life. A vaccination is also possible for cats that are already infected; it does not harm them, but it can no longer prevent the occurrence of leukemia and the spread of viruses.
After infection, the virus multiplies in the lymphatic tissues of the infection site and the first viraemia occurs . Then there is a further multiplication of the virus in the lymphatic organs and a second, persistent viraemia. The occurring leukemia is a disease of the white blood cells ( leukocytes ) and usually ends with death.
literature
- Michael Rolle and Anton Mayr: Medical microbiology, infection and epidemic studies . Enke-Verlag, 7th edition, 2007. ISBN 3-8304-1060-3
- Michael Suntz: Investigation of the occurrence and significance of latent infections with the feline leukemia virus (Felv) in section cats. Vet.-Med. Diss. Univ. Giessen 2007, VVB Laufersweiler Verlag. ISBN 3835951726
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d ICTV: ICTV Taxonomy history: Commelina yellow mottle virus , EC 51, Berlin, Germany, July 2019; Email ratification March 2020 (MSL # 35)
- Jump up ↑ Jarrett WF, Martin WB, Crighton GW, Dalton RG, Stewart MF: Transmission experiments with leukemia (lymphosarcoma). Nature 202, 566-567, 1964. PMID 14195053
- ↑ Jarrett WF, Crawford EM, Martin WB, Davie F: A virus-like particle associated with leukemia (lymphosarcoma). Nature 202, 567-569, 1964. PMID 14195054
- ↑ Katrin Hartmann: Virus infections . In: Marian C. Horzinek et al. (Ed.): Diseases of the cat . Enke, 4th edition, 2005, pp. 107-155. ISBN 3-8304-1049-2