title: Immunomodulation therapy for feline leukemia virus infection.
abstract: Clinically ill feline leukemia virus (FeLV)-infected cats, treated with Staphylococcus protein A (SPA) or oral interferon alpha (IFN), or both, were compared with cats treated with saline (SAL). Nine cats received SPA/SAL, nine received SPA/IFN, 10 received SAL/IFN, and eight received SAL/SAL. Twelve cats survived and completed the 100-week therapy. Significantly more owners of cats treated with SPA/SAL thought their cat's health improved during treatment compared to owners of cats treated with SAL/SAL (P=0.05, pair-wise comparison) or SPA/IFN (P=0.05, pair-wise comparison). No significant differences in body weight, temperature, hematocrit, red blood cell counts, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, reticulocyte counts, white blood cell or neutrophil numbers, lymphocyte concentrations, bone-marrow cytopathology, FeLV status, survival time, activity, or appetite scores were observed. No significant differences in the owners' subjective assessment of their cat's health following treatment with SAL/IFN, SPA/IFN, or SAL/SAL were seen. Therapy with SPA as a single agent results in the owners' subjective impression of improved health of their FeLV-infected cats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia 65211, USA.
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: McCaw
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Boon
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Jergens
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Kern
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Bowles
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002415:Cats; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000662:veterinary; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005256:Leukemia Virus, Feline / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016582:Leukemia, Feline / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D013205:Staphylococcal Protein A / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D013205:Staphylococcal Protein A