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.
A reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay for the detection of the feline coronavirus (FCoV) genome and a co-cultivation method for the isolation of field strains of FCoV are described. Using the RT-PCR assay to assess blood samples from cats with feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) (n = 47) and healthy cats from households with endemic FCoV (n = 69) it was shown that approximately 80% of the cats were viraemic, irrespective of their health status. It was also shown that, over a 12-month period, a similar percentage of healthy cats remained viraemic, and that the presence of viraemia did not appear to predispose the cats to the development of FIP. The co-cultivation system proved to be a suitable method for the culture of field strains of FCoV from blood samples, so long as the cultures were maintained for at least 4 weeks. Using this system, followed by the RT-PCR, viraemia was detected as frequently as by RT-PCR on RNA extracted directly from peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
Gunn-Moore
D A
DA
Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, UK. d.a.gunn-moore@bristol.ac.uk
Gruffydd-Jones
T J
TJ
Harbour
D A
DA
D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology; D002415:Cats / Q000821:virology*; D017934:Coronavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018352:Coronavirus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000097:blood / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D012016:Reference Values; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D013997:Time Factors
D012367:RNA, Viral