Biphasic immune responses of cats under controlled infection with a feline enteric coronavirus-79-1683 strain.
Kittens inoculated orally with 10(2) PFU of feline enteric coronavirus developed no antibody to the virus despite the repeated challenges. However, they developed antibody for a long period with 5 x 10(3)-1.6 x 10(5) (mean 3 x 10(4)) and with 2.5 x 10(3)-2 x 10(4) (mean 6 x 10(3)) immunoperoxidase antibody titer when they were challenged with 10(5) and 10(3) PFU of virus following previous challenges, respectively. Viremia was found when kittens were inoculated with 10(5) PFU of virus, but not with 10(3) PFU of virus. The dose of 10(3) PFU of virus seemed to be a lower limit to establish infection. These results indicate that local infection induces a low antibody response and systemic infection induces a high antibody response.
Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Yamaguchi University, Japan.
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K
Kai
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Y
Akagi
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T
Soma
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Nomura
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M
Kanoe
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D000917:Antibody Formation; D002415:Cats; D016765:Coronavirus, Feline / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D016766:Feline Infectious Peritonitis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D013997:Time Factors
D000914:Antibodies, Viral