title: Antibodies against Gag are diagnostic markers for feline foamy virus infections while Env and Bet reactivity is undetectable in a substantial fraction of infected cats.
abstract: Spumaretroviruses or foamy viruses constitute a distinct subfamily of retroviruses. The biology of foamy viruses within the authentic host, their mode of transmission, and disease potential in the authentic host or after zoonotic transmission into human or other species are almost unknown. Using feline foamy virus (FFV) as model system, we established modular enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) suited to determine feline IgG and IgM antibody responses against structural and non-structural FFV proteins. We validated the ELISAs with standard reference sera. In 99 cats admitted to a Swiss veterinary hospital, overall FFV Gag antibody prevalence was 36%, reactivity against Env and the non-structural protein Bet each was about 25%, and 19% of the sera were directed against all three FFV antigens. With one exception, all Bet- and/or Env-positive sera were also positive for Gag. In this small epidemiological pilot study, FFV antibodies were not significantly associated with clinical disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genome Modifications and Carcinogenesis, Research Program Infection and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center, Germany.
authors.forename: Fabian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Romen
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pawlita
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sehr
authors.forename: Silke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bachmann
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schröder
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lutz
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Löchelt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D002415:Cats; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D015686:Gene Products, env / Q000276:immunology; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015750:Genes, gag; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D012192:Retroviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D012191:Retroviridae Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D016092:Spumavirus / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D015415:Biomarkers; D015686:Gene Products, env; D015683:Gene Products, gag; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012191:Retroviridae Proteins; C080099:bet protein, human foamy virus