Diseases associated with feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus infection
Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) are retroviruses affecting cats worldwide, and the prevalence of infection varies considerably according to the geographic area.
Researchers retrospectively described FIV- and FeLV-associated diseases in a population of 1470 necropsied cats, of which 396 (26.9%) were infected with FeLV, 199 (13.5%) with FIV, and 134 (9.1%) with FeLV and FIV concomitantly.
Cats infected with FeLV (OR 3.4) and co-infected with FeLV and FIV (OR 1.9) were more likely to have neoplasms. The diagnosis of lymphoma and leukemia was higher in cats infected with FeLV (OR 3.9 and 19.4, respectively) and coinfected with FeLV and FIV (OR 1.9 and 19.3, respectively).
The odds of diagnosing bacterial diseases wre higher in cats coinfected with FeLV and FIV (OR: 2.8), whereas the odds of viral diseases were higher in those infected with FeLV (OR: 2.8), with 2.2 times more diagnoses of feline infectious peritonitis. Neoplastic and infectious diseases in FIV-infected cats did not differ significantly from those in uninfected cats.
According to the study's results, a high prevalence of retroviral infections was observed in southern Brazil, mainly in relation to FeLV. Infected cats were significantly younger than uninfected cats.
Cats infected with FeLV and/or FIV died younger compared to uninfected cats. Whilst FIV was more frequently observed in males, FeLV affected a greater proportion of mixed-breed cats.
The main causes of death associated with FeLV infection and FeLV and FIV coinfection were neoplastic and infectious diseases. In contrast, FIV infection was not associated with any specific condition.
Lauren Santos de Mello et al. "Diseases associated with feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus infection: A retrospective study of 1470 necropsied cats (2010-2020)." Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis. 2023 Apr; 95:101963. doi: 10.1016/j.cimid.2023.101963. Epub 2023 Feb 16.
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