title: Identification of feline immunodeficiency virus subtype-B on St. Kitts, West Indies by quantitative PCR.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although antibodies to the feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) have been detected by SNAP assay in cats from St. Kitts, there have been no molecular studies to further confirm the infection and determine the FIV subtypes present.
  
  
  METHODS
  Total nucleic acids were extracted from EDTA whole blood specimens from 35 cats, followed by quantitative fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) PCR under a six-channel LightCycler 2.0 Instrument with Software version 4.1.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four of 11 stray cats (36 %) but none of 24 owned cats were FIV positive by real-time PCR.  High-resolution melting curve analysis indicated that all four positive cats were infected with FIV subtype-B.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first molecular characterization of FIV subtypes on St. Kitts and the results confirm the high prevalence of FIV infection in stray cats on the island.
authors: Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Basseterre, St. Kitts, West Indies. pkelly@rossvet.edu.kn
authors: Patrick J
authors: PJ
authors: Kelly
authors: Ruey
authors: R
authors: Stocking
authors: Dongya
authors: D
authors: Gao
authors: Nikol
authors: N
authors: Phillips
authors: Chuanling
authors: C
authors: Xu
authors: Bernhard
authors: B
authors: Kaltenboeck
authors: Chengming
authors: C
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D016181:Feline Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D031541:Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer / Q000379:methods; D005838:Genotype; D016089:Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008297:Male; D058889:Molecular Typing; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D044366:Transition Temperature; D014900:West Indies / Q000453:epidemiology