Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) in wild Pallas' cats.
Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), a feline lentivirus related to HIV, causes immune dysfunction in domestic and wild cats. The Pallas' cat is the only species from Asia known to harbor a species-specific strain of FIV designated FIV(Oma) in natural populations. Here, a 25% seroprevalence of FIV is reported from 28 wild Mongolian Pallas' cats sampled from 2000 to 2008. Phylogenetic analysis of proviral RT-Pol from eight FIV(Oma) isolates from Mongolia, Russia, China and Kazakhstan reveals a unique monophyletic lineage of the virus within the Pallas' cat population, most closely related to the African cheetah and leopard FIV strains. Histopathological examination of lymph node and spleen from infected and uninfected Pallas' cats suggests that FIV(Oma) causes immune depletion in its' native host.
Brown
Meredith A
MA
Laboratory of Genomic Diversity, National Cancer Institute-Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702, USA. brownmer@gmail.com
Munkhtsog
Bariushaa
B
Troyer
Jennifer L
JL
Ross
Steve
S
Sellers
Rani
R
Fine
Amanda E
AE
Swanson
William F
WF
Roelke
Melody E
ME
O'Brien
Stephen J
SJ
D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000821:virology; D002415:Cats / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D045991:Felis / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D016089:Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline / Q000235:genetics; D016180:Lentivirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008986:Mongolia / Q000453:epidemiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
D004279:DNA, Viral