Horizontal transmission of feline leukemia virus under experimental conditions.
Thirty-seven specific-pathogen-free (SPF) cats ranging from newborn to 1 year were inoculated with the Rickard strain of feline leukemia virus (FeLV). Each inoculated cat shared a cage with a control SPF cat for 40 weeks post inoculation. After 4-5 weeks, 20 of the inoculated cats became group-specific antigen (gsa)-positive; the other 17 remained gsa-negative but developed virus neutralizing and feline oncornavirus cell membrane-associated antigen antibody titers. Seventeen of the control cats in contact with the gsa-positive cats developed evidence of FeLV infection 4-18 weeks after virema was detected in their inoculated cage mates. Of the control cats in contact with inoculated cats that remained gsa-negative, none developed evidence of FeLV infection. Data indicated that the gsa-positive state in cats inoculated with FeLV correlated with the capacity for horizontal transmission of the virus.
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D002415:Cats; D004780:Environment, Controlled; D005256:Leukemia Virus, Feline / Q000276:immunology; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000635:transmission*
D000956:Antigens, Viral