title: Serum alpha1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) concentration in non-symptomatic cats with feline coronavirus (FCoV) infection.
abstract: Previous studies have demonstrated that the concentration of alpha1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) transiently increases in asymptomatic cats infected with feline coronavirus (FCoV). In order to establish whether these fluctuations depend on the FCoV status, the serum concentration of AGP and anti-FCoV antibody titres and/or faecal shedding of FCoVs in clinically healthy cats from catteries with different levels of prevalence of FCoV infection were monitored over time. Serum AGP concentrations fluctuated over time in clinically healthy cats from the cattery with the highest prevalence of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) and significantly increased just before an outbreak of FIP. Further studies are required to clarify whether the observed increase of AGP concentration is a consequence of the increased viral burden or a protective response against mutated viral strains. Nevertheless, the results of the present study suggest that AGP might be useful in monitoring FCoV-host interactions in FCoV-endemic catteries.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Patologia Animale Igiene e Sanità Pubblica Veterinaria, Universita of Milano, Via Celoria 10, 20133 Milan, Italy. saverio.paltrinieri@unimi.it
authors.forename: Saverio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paltrinieri
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Metzger
authors.forename: Mara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Battilani
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pocacqua
authors.forename: Maria Elena
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Gelain
authors.forename: Alessia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giordano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000662:veterinary; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D002415:Cats; D018352:Coronavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D016765:Coronavirus, Feline / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D017201:Virus Shedding
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D006023:Glycoproteins; D012367:RNA, Viral