title: Oral use of human alpha interferon in cats.
abstract: Low doses (0.5 or 5.0 U) of human alpha interferon (HuIFN alpha) given orally prevented the experimental development of fatal feline leukemia virus (FeLV)-related disease. Twenty-one FeLV-susceptible cats were inoculated with the Rickard strain of FeLV. Cats given oral HuIFN alpha survived significantly (p less than 0.001) longer than untreated FeLV-infected cats. Moreover, only 4 of 13 (30.8%) HuIFN alpha-treated cats developed clinical disease during the course of the study, whereas 100% of the untreated control cats developed fatal FeLV-related disease. Thus, in experimental retroviral disease, heterologous species HuIFN alpha provided significant clinical benefits.
authors.affiliation: Amarillo Cell Culture Company, Inc., TX 79106.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Cummins
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Tompkins
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Tompkins
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Lewis
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007942:Leukemia, Experimental / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D007370:Interferon Type I