Detection of two different papillomaviruses within a feline cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: case report and review of the literature.
METHODS
A 15-year-old, brown-and-white cat was presented to a veterinary clinic with an ulcerated, reddened 1-cm diameter lesion on the nasal planum.


RESULTS
Histology of a biopsy sample confirmed the lesion was a squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). PCR amplified DNA sequences from two different papillomaviruses. One sequence was from FdPV-2, which has previously been amplified from feline cutaneous SCC. However, the other sequence has not previously been reported, suggesting a novel feline papillomavirus.


CONCLUSIONS
There is evidence that papillomaviruses promote the development of SCC on sun-exposed skin in humans. This is the first report in a cat of a papillomavirus other than FdPV-2 and the first time that multiple papillomaviruses have been detected within a single neoplasm in this species. Whether the papillomaviruses influenced the development and behaviour of this SCC is currently uncertain, but this case provides additional evidence of the association between papillomaviruses and feline cutaneous SCC. If papillomaviruses are found to influence the development of SCC this may allow novel strategies to prevent these common neoplasms in cats.
Munday
J S
JS
Department of Pathobiology, Insitutite of Veterinary, Animal and Biodmedical Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand. j.munday@massey.ac.nz
Dunowska
M
M
De Grey
S
S
D000818:Animals; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D002415:Cats; D017931:DNA Primers; D030561:Databases, Nucleic Acid; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D017931:DNA Primers; D003907:Dexamethasone