A MRNA PCR for the Diagnosis of Feline Infectious Peritonitis

Overview

Journal J Virol Methods

Specialty Microbiology

Date 2005 Jan 25

PMID 15664058

Citations 51

Authors

Fermin A Simons

Harry Vennema

Jaime E Rofina

Jan M Pol

Marian C Horzinek

Peter J M Rottier

Herman F Egberink

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

A reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for the detection of feline coronavirus (FCoV) messenger RNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) is described. The assay is evaluated as a diagnostic test for feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). It is based on a well-documented key event in the development of FIP: the replication of virulent FCoV mutants in monocytes/macrophages. To detect most feline coronavirus field strains, the test was designed to amplify subgenomic mRNA of the highly conserved M gene. The test was applied to 1075 feline blood samples (424 from healthy, 651 from sick cats suspected of FIP) and returned 46% of the diseased cats as positive for feline coronavirus mRNA in their peripheral blood cells; of the healthy cats, 5% tested positive. Of a group of 81 animals in which FIP had been confirmed by post-mortem examination, 75 (93%) tested positive, whereas 17 cats with different pathologies (non-FIP cases) all tested negative. In view of the low rate of false-positive results (high specificity) the mRNA RT-PCR may be a valuable addition to the diagnostic arsenal for FIP.

Citing Articles

Deciphering Viral Replication Dynamics in Feline Infectious Peritonitis: A Quantitative Approach.

Burgener C, Barker E, Soare T, Soare D, Spiri A, Malbon A Viruses. 2025; 17(2).

PMID: 40007034 PMC: 11860597. DOI: 10.3390/v17020279.

Status Quo of Feline Leukaemia Virus Infection in Turkish Cats and Their Antigenic Prevalence.

Korkulu E, Senlik E, Adiguzel E, Artut F, Cetinaslan H, Erdem-Sahinkesen E Animals (Basel). 2024; 14(3).

PMID: 38338028 PMC: 10854556. DOI: 10.3390/ani14030385.

Abdominal ultrasonographic findings of cats with feline infectious peritonitis: an update.

Muller T, Penninck D, Webster C, Conrado F J Feline Med Surg. 2023; 25(12):1098612X231216000.

PMID: 38095890 PMC: 10811767. DOI: 10.1177/1098612X231216000.

Comparison of the Performance of Bioresonance, Electrophoresis and RT-PCR in the Diagnosis of Feline Infectious Peritonitis.

Farsijani F, Safi S, Shirazi Beheshtiha S Arch Razi Inst. 2023; 78(3):1077-1085.

PMID: 38028839 PMC: 10657951. DOI: 10.22092/ARI.2023.360790.2606.

Feline Infectious Peritonitis: European Advisory Board on Cat Diseases Guidelines.

Tasker S, Addie D, Egberink H, Hofmann-Lehmann R, Hosie M, Truyen U Viruses. 2023; 15(9).

PMID: 37766254 PMC: 10535984. DOI: 10.3390/v15091847.

References

Vennema H, Rossen J, Wesseling J, Horzinek M, Rottier P . Genomic organization and expression of the 3' end of the canine and feline enteric coronaviruses. Virology. 1992; 191(1):134-40. PMC: 7131216. DOI: 10.1016/0042-6822(92)90174-n. View

de Groot R, Andeweg A, Horzinek M, Spaan W . Sequence analysis of the 3'-end of the feline coronavirus FIPV 79-1146 genome: comparison with the genome of porcine coronavirus TGEV reveals large insertions. Virology. 1988; 167(2):370-6. PMC: 7130511. DOI: 10.1016/s0042-6822(88)90097-9. View

Gunn-Moore D, Gruffydd-Jones T, Harbour D . Detection of feline coronaviruses by culture and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction of blood samples from healthy cats and cats with clinical feline infectious peritonitis. Vet Microbiol. 1998; 62(3):193-205. PMC: 7117229. DOI: 10.1016/s0378-1135(98)00210-7. View

Egberink H, Herrewegh A, Schuurman N, van der Linde-Sipman J, Horzinek M, de Groot R . FIP, easy to diagnose?. Vet Q. 1995; 17 Suppl 1:S24-5. View

Pedersen N, Boyle J, Floyd K, Fudge A, Barker J . An enteric coronavirus infection of cats and its relationship to feline infectious peritonitis. Am J Vet Res. 1981; 42(3):368-77. View

Stoddart C, Scott F . Intrinsic resistance of feline peritoneal macrophages to coronavirus infection correlates with in vivo virulence. J Virol. 1989; 63(1):436-40. PMC: 247703. DOI: 10.1128/JVI.63.1.436-440.1989. View

Pedersen N . Virologic and immunologic aspects of feline infectious peritonitis virus infection. Adv Exp Med Biol. 1987; 218:529-50. DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4684-1280-2_69. View

Evermann J, Baumgartener L, OTT R, DAVIS E, McKeirnan A . Characterization of a feline infectious peritonitis virus isolate. Vet Pathol. 1981; 18(2):256-65. DOI: 10.1177/030098588101800214. View

Zhang X, Liao C, Lai M . Coronavirus leader RNA regulates and initiates subgenomic mRNA transcription both in trans and in cis. J Virol. 1994; 68(8):4738-46. PMC: 236413. DOI: 10.1128/JVI.68.8.4738-4746.1994. View

10.

Osterhaus A, Horzinek M, Wirahadiredja R, Kroon A . Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) virus. IV. Propagation in suckling rat and hamster brain. Zentralbl Veterinarmed B. 1978; 25(10):816-25. View

11.

HOLZWORTH J . Some important disorders of cats. Cornell Vet. 1963; 53:157-60. View

12.

Lai M, Cavanagh D . The molecular biology of coronaviruses. Adv Virus Res. 1997; 48:1-100. PMC: 7130985. View

13.

Kapke P, Brian D . Sequence analysis of the porcine transmissible gastroenteritis coronavirus nucleocapsid protein gene. Virology. 1986; 151(1):41-9. PMC: 7131278. DOI: 10.1016/0042-6822(86)90102-9. View

14.

Meli M, Kipar A, Muller C, Jenal K, Gonczi E, Borel N . High viral loads despite absence of clinical and pathological findings in cats experimentally infected with feline coronavirus (FCoV) type I and in naturally FCoV-infected cats. J Feline Med Surg. 2004; 6(2):69-81. PMC: 7128724. DOI: 10.1016/j.jfms.2003.08.007. View

15.

Horzinek M, Osterhaus A . The virology and pathogenesis of feline infectious peritonitis. Brief review. Arch Virol. 1979; 59(1-2):1-15. PMC: 7087126. DOI: 10.1007/BF01317889. View

16.

Gamble D, Lobbiani A, Gramegna M, Moore L, Colucci G . Development of a nested PCR assay for detection of feline infectious peritonitis virus in clinical specimens. J Clin Microbiol. 1997; 35(3):673-5. PMC: 229648. DOI: 10.1128/jcm.35.3.673-675.1997. View

17.

Herrewegh A, de Groot R, Cepica A, Egberink H, Horzinek M, Rottier P . Detection of feline coronavirus RNA in feces, tissues, and body fluids of naturally infected cats by reverse transcriptase PCR. J Clin Microbiol. 1995; 33(3):684-9. PMC: 228014. DOI: 10.1128/jcm.33.3.684-689.1995. View

18.

Kipar A, BELLMANN S, Gunn-Moore D, Leukert W, Kohler K, Menger S . Histopathological alterations of lymphatic tissues in cats without feline infectious peritonitis after long-term exposure to FIP virus. Vet Microbiol. 1999; 69(1-2):131-7. PMC: 7117123. DOI: 10.1016/s0378-1135(99)00101-7. View

19.

Pedersen N, Boyle J, Floyd K . Infection studies in kittens, using feline infectious peritonitis virus propagated in cell culture. Am J Vet Res. 1981; 42(3):363-7. View

20.

Gouffaux M, Pastoret P, Henroteaux M, Massip A . Feline infectious peritonitis. Proteins of plasma and ascitic fluid. Vet Pathol. 1975; 12(5-6):335-48. DOI: 10.1177/0300985875012005-00601. View