Cat flu
Cat flu is a collective term for contagious diseases of the respiratory tract and the mucous membranes of the head in cats . The terms infectious feline rhinitis , feline pneumonitis and rhinotracheitis infectiosa felis are used synonymously .
It is a symptom complex that is caused by different pathogens. It affects the nose, mouth and eyes. The pathogens involved are various viruses ( herpes and caliciviruses ) and bacteria ( chlamydia , Bordetella and mycoplasma ). Since the pathogens favor each other and can thus occur in parallel and the treatment and control of these diseases have a number of things in common, this collective term is nevertheless justified.
Pathogens and clinical pictures
Cat flu is triggered by various pathogens, which can occur either as a single or as a mixed infection. The triggers include feline herpesvirus 1 (FHV 1), feline calicivirus (FCV), chlamydia , mycoplasma and Bordetella bronchiseptica . In the test material of a large laboratory, 40% single infections, almost 20% infections with pathogens and 4% of the cases triple infections. Chlamydophila felis (50.1%) was detected most frequently , followed by FCV (17.6%) and FHV 1 (16.1%).
Felides Alpha Herpesvirus 1 (FeHV1)
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Along with caliciviruses, herpes viruses are the most common triggers of cat flu. FeHV1 disease is also known as Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis . The pathogen only affects cat-like animals. Outside the host, the virus survives for a maximum of 24 hours and is reliably inactivated by most common disinfectants .
The transmission occurs through contact with an infected animal or indirectly through people, feed and cleaning equipment. The virus can be detected in the host's secretions just 24 hours after infection . Due to its inability to reproduce at temperatures above 37 ° C, it only affects the relatively "cold" mucous membranes in the head area and does not normally cause viraemia .
Clinical symptoms appear after just two to three days. They express themselves primarily in strong nasal and eye discharge, often associated with conjunctivitis and corneal damage up to panophthalmitis . At the tongue ulcers (may ulcer ) occur, the turbinates can destruction of tissue ( necrosis be severely damaged). Fever, loss of appetite, and sneezing are also common. Pregnant queens can abort during the 6th week of gestation . In some cases, the FeHV1 - especially for kittens and heavy - bronchopneumonia cause that can be fatal.
Despite the dramatic appearance of the disease, mortality is mostly low. Consequential damage can range from adhesions in the lid area to blindness, severe tissue destruction in the area of the nasal mucosa can result in chronic rhinitis . Some recovered animals can permanently excrete viruses, about 80 percent of all sick animals remain carriers of the pathogen after surviving infection, which withdraws into the ganglia of the trigeminal nerve . Similar to the calicivirus infestation, the disease mainly affects young animals.
Feline Calicivirus (FCV)
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Caliciviruses are also a very common cause of cat flu. Caliciviruses are transmitted through direct contact between a cat and an animal infected by the pathogen. Dissemination by means of aerosols does not play a role in this form of cat flu. The virus is mainly excreted through secretions from the upper respiratory tract and occasionally through the faeces. After surviving the disease, some of the animals remain latently infected with the virus for life.
The infection proceeds in two phases (biphasic). Once infected, the pathogen multiplies in the tonsils , the oral mucosa and the conjunctiva of the eyes. Between the fourth and seventh day, the virus spreads through the bloodstream ( viraemia ) throughout the body. The lungs and tongue mucosa are particularly heavily affected . The viraemia phase is characterized by fatigue and the development of respiratory symptoms: fever , rhinitis , conjunctivitis and nasal discharge.
The infestation of the lungs can lead to secondary bacterial infections and thus bronchopneumonia , in which case the mortality rate can rise to 30%. In general, the picture caused by the involvement of the oral mucous membranes dominates: extensive painful mucous membrane ulceration of the tongue or the palate occurs .
Abortions can occur in pregnant cats . Some strains of calicivirus can also cause lameness .
Feline chlamydiosis (feline pneumonitis)
The chlamydial infection is caused by the bacterium Chlamydophila felis . It is common and occurs worldwide as well. Most importantly, it causes chronic follicular conjunctivitis with discharge from the eyes, which can also be purulent . This "eye shape" occurs mainly in kittens that are five to twelve weeks old. The general condition of the animals remains undisturbed in many cases with an isolated infection with Chlamydophila felis . A pneumonia occurs rather infrequently or not manifested by the typical symptoms, it runs asymptomatic .
Feline Bordetella Infection
The feline Bordetella infection (Feline Bordetellosis) is caused by Bordetella bronchiseptica and can occur primarily, but also secondarily after damage by the above-mentioned pathogens. The infection can cause diseases of the upper respiratory tract and, less often, pneumonia.
The disease occurs more frequently in larger cat colonies, and a lack of space, insufficient ventilation and stress have a positive effect. Young cats show more severe symptoms than older cats. In addition to general weakness, there are fever, unwillingness to eat ( anorexia ), cough, runny nose, nasal and eye discharge and swelling of the lower jaw lymph nodes . If the lungs are involved, breathing difficulties and abnormal breathing sounds occur. In kittens, symptoms of respiratory illness have been reported with nasal discharge, sneezing, coughing, and rattling noises on auscultation . An isolated infection with Bordetella bronchiseptica without the involvement of the viruses mentioned is often milder than in the cat flu complex, and conjunctivitis does not develop.
Feline mycoplasma infection
Mycoplasma felis from the group of mycoplasmas causes disease of the upper respiratory tract less often. Clinically, it manifests itself in an inflammation of the conjunctiva and nasal mucous membrane. The infection can heal spontaneously after two to four weeks. It has not yet been clarified whether mycoplasmas act as primary or only as secondary pathogen. Also Mycoplasma gatae and Mycoplasma feliminutum are sometimes isolated from cats, but their clinical significance is questionable.
diagnosis
Since the individual diseases share many clinical symptoms in common, it is difficult to diagnose them accurately. It can only be secured by laboratory tests. More detailed information on the detection of bacterial pathogens can be found in the descriptions of the respective bacteria.
- Cultivation of pathogens from nasal or eye secretions or mucous membrane samples, for the detection of Bordetella bronchiseptica the swabs used should be stored in a special transport medium containing activated charcoal until the examination
- Immunofluorescence test for FeHV1, FCV in serum
- Virus neutralization test from serum for FeHV1 and FCV
- PCR for FeHV1, FCV, Chlamydophila felis , Mycoplasma felis from a dry throat or eye swab
- Real Time Quantitative PCR ( q-PCR , quantitative real-time PCR) for Chlamydophila felis and other animal pathogenic Chlamydophila species
therapy
The treatment of viral infections is symptomatic and aims to avoid secondary bacterial infections ( antibiotics ). The administration of immunoglobulins or feline interferon is said to fight the virus itself. The administration of lysine , which is supposed to prevent the increase of FeHV1 by lowering the arginine level , is completely ineffective according to recent studies. In feline pneumonitis due to Chlamydophila felis , tetracyclines are indicated locally and systemically for three to four weeks. Chloramphenicol and fluoroquinolones are also effective, however, when using them, the possible risks for the mostly young animals (chloramphenicol: aplastic anemia , fluoroquinolones: cartilage growth disorders ) must be carefully considered. Mycoplasma can also be treated with tetracyclines (e.g., doxycycline ), chloramphenicol, and fluoroquinolones.
prophylaxis
Prophylaxis using vaccinations is more effective than treating the disease . In the guideline for the vaccination of small animals , which is published by the Standing Vaccination Commission Vet. , The vaccination against the rhinotracheitis virus (feline herpes virus) and the feline calicivirus as the cause of cat flu, as well as against the feline panleukopenia virus (pathogen causing panleukopenia , " Cat Disease ") is strongly advised. The vaccination, called RCP after the virus names, is viewed by the Vet. Standing Vaccination Commission as a so-called core component , "against which every animal must be protected at all times". The first vaccination takes place in the eighth week of life, a robust vaccination protection is achieved by the booster in the twelfth and sixteenth week of life. After the basic immunizations, revaccinations must be given. Depending on the animal's living conditions, these take place after one to three years at the latest.
In addition to vaccines against viral infections, there is also a live attenuated vaccine for prophylaxis against bacterial infection by Chlamydophila felis . This does not rule out an infection, but it significantly reduces the symptoms. In addition, several combination preparations are approved in Germany which, in addition to inactivated Chlamydophila felis strains, also contain components against the viruses mentioned above. A vaccine for cats against Bordetella bronchiseptica has been approved in Germany since 2002 . The monovalent preparation called Nobivac Bb is a live vaccine that contains the bacterial strain Bordetella bronchiseptica B-C2 and is administered intranasally , i.e. H. administered through the nose. Vaccinations against bacterial pathogens are recommended by the Vet. Standing Vaccination Commission if several animals are kept in a confined space, e.g. B. in an animal shelter or a boarding house. Vaccination against Bordetella bronchiseptica should also be considered if the cat has close contact with dogs , rabbits or other animal species that can also be infected by this pathogen.
swell
literature
- 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
- Karin Duchow, Katrin Hartmann u. a .: Guideline for the vaccination of small animals . Ed .: Standing Vet. Vaccination Commission in the Federal Association of Practicing Veterinarians e. V. 2nd edition. 2013, ISBN 978-3-933711-14-4 ( PDF, 504 kB [accessed March 10, 2014]).
Individual evidence
- ↑ Laboklin aktuell , April 2020
- ↑ a b c d e ICTV: ICTV Taxonomy history: Human alphaherpesvirus 1 , EC 51, Berlin, Germany, July 2019; Email ratification March 2020 (MSL # 35)
- ↑ Odwar Geisel et al .: Herpes virus-related bronchopneumonia in Siamese kittens . In: Kleintierpraxis 43 (1998), pp. 923-928.
- ↑ ICTV Master Species List 2018b v1 MSL # 34, Feb. 2019
- ↑ a b c d e ICTV: ICTV Taxonomy history: Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus , EC 51, Berlin, Germany, July 2019; Email ratification March 2020 (MSL # 35)
- ↑ Juliana D. Siqueira, Maria Gloria Dominguez-Bello, Monica Contreras, Orlana Lander, Eric Delwart: Complex virome in feces from Amerindian children in isolated Amazonian villages. In: Nature Communications 9 (1), December 2018, doi: 10.1038 / s41467-018-06502-9
- ↑ Aase B Mikalsen, Pål Nilsen, Marianne Frøystad-Saugen, Karine Lindmo, Trygve M Eliassen, Marit Rode, Øystein Evensen: Characterization of a Novel Calicivirus Causing Systemic Infection in Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar L.): Proposal for a New Genus of Caliciviridae. In: PLoS ONE 9 (9): e107132, September 2014, doi: 10.1371 / journal.pone.0107132
- ↑ a b K. D. Everett, RM Bush, AA Andersen: Emended description of the order Chlamydiales, proposal of Parachlamydiaceae fam. nov. and Simkaniaceae fam. nov., each containing one monotypic genus, revised taxonomy of the family Chlamydiaceae, including a new genus and five new species, and standards for the identification of organisms. In: International journal of systematic bacteriology. Volume 49 Pt 2, April 1999, pp. 415-440, PMID 10319462 .
- ↑ a b c d e f Karin Duchow, Katrin Hartmann u. a .: Guideline for the vaccination of small animals . Ed .: Standing Vet. Vaccination Commission in the Federal Association of Practicing Veterinarians e. V. 2nd edition. 2013, ISBN 978-3-933711-14-4 ( download from the veterinary association ).
- ↑ AA Jacobs, WS Chalmers et al. a .: Feline Bordetellosis: Challenge and Vaccine Studies. In: The Veterinary Record. Vol. 133, No. 11, September 1993, pp. 260-263, PMID 8236648 .
- ↑ H. Okuda, K. Ohya et al. a .: Detection of Chlamydophila psittaci by using SYBR green real-time PCR. In: The Journal of veterinary medical science / the Japanese Society of Veterinary Science. Volume 73, Number 2, February 2011, pp. 249-254, PMID 20948172 .
- ^ S. Bol, EM Bunnik: Lysine supplementation is not effective for the prevention or treatment of feline herpesvirus 1 infection in cats: a systematic review. In: BMC veterinary research. Volume 11, 2015, p. 284, doi : 10.1186 / s12917-015-0594-3 , PMID 26573523 , PMC 4647294 (free full text).
- ↑ Cat vaccines. In: Website Paul Ehrlich Institute . February 13, 2014, accessed March 10, 2014 .
- ^ Nobivac Bb - live Bordetella bronchiseptica bacteria strain B-C2. In: European Medicines Agency website . October 3, 2012, accessed March 10, 2014 .
Web links
- Feline Upper Respiratory Disease Complex (Engl.)
- Feline Bordetellosis - The Bordetella bronchiseptica infection of the cat. Retrieved March 2, 2014 .
