Serosurvey for feline leukemia virus and lentiviruses in captive small neotropic felids in São Paulo state, Brazil.
Feline leukemia virus (FeLV), Gammaretrovirus, and feline immunodeficiency virus, a Lentivirus, are members of the family Retroviridae, and may establish persistent infections in the domestic cat (Felis catus). Cytoproliferative and cytosuppressive disorders may result from infection with these viruses. Morbidity and mortality rates are high in domestic cats worldwide. Infection of endangered neotropic small felids with these viruses could be devastating. To investigate the prevalence of FeLV and feline lentiviruses in neotropic small felids kept in captivity in São Paulo state. Brazil, serum samples from 104 animals belonging to the species Leopardus pardalis, Leopardus tigrinus, Leopardus wiedii, Herpailurus yaguarondi, and Oncifelis geoffroyi were tested for FeLV and feline lentiviruses by commercially available immunoassays. All results were negative, suggesting that retrovirus infection is not an important clinical problem in these populations. Because domestic cats in São Paulo city are naturally infected with these pathogens, and feral cats are commonly found in zoologic facilities in Brazil, preventive measures should be taken to avoid transmission of retroviruses to naive populations of wild and captive neotropic felids in Brazil.
Filoni
Claudia
C
Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, da Universidade de São Paulo, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil.
Adania
Cristina Harumi
CH
Durigon
Edison Luiz
EL
Catão-Dias
José Luiz
JL
D000818:Animals; D000836:Animals, Zoo; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002335:Carnivora; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000662:veterinary; D016089:Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline / Q000276:immunology*; D016180:Lentivirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005256:Leukemia Virus, Feline / Q000276:immunology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012192:Retroviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral