title: Survey of the feline leukemia virus infection status of cats in Southern Germany.
abstract: Most studies that investigate the prevalence of infections with feline leukemia virus (FeLV) are based on the detection of p27 antigen in blood, but they do not detect proviral DNA to identify the prevalence of regressive FeLV infections. The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence and status of FeLV infection in cats in Southern Germany. P27 antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), anti-p45 antibody ELISA, DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of blood and RNA PCR of saliva were performed. Nine out of 495 cats were progressively (persistently) infected (1.8%) and six were regressively (latently) infected (1.2%). Cats with regressive infections are defined as cats that have been able to overcome antigenemia but provirus can be detected by PCR. Twenty-two unvaccinated cats likely had abortive infections (regressor cats), testing FeLV antigen- and provirus-negative but anti-p45 antibody-positive. Most of the FeLV-vaccinated cats did not have anti-FeLV antibodies. Both progressive, as well as regressive infections seem to be rare in Germany today.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Small Animal Medicine, Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, Munich, Germany. th.englert@gmx.de
authors.forename: Theresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Englert
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lutz
authors.forename: Carola
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sauter-Louis
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hartmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D002415:Cats; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D005256:Leukemia Virus, Feline / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D015995:Prevalence; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000097:blood; D012192:Retroviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D012463:Saliva / Q000821:virology; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; C413374:p27 antigen