Natural transmission of feline immunodeficiency virus from infected queen to kitten.
BACKGROUND
Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a naturally occurring lentivirus that infects cats. The primary mode of transmission occurs through bite wounds, and other routes are difficult to observe in nature.


RESULTS
The purpose of this study was to evaluate FIV transmission from queen to kitten in a colony of naturally infected stray cats. With this aim, a queen was monitored over a period of three years. A blood sample was taken to amplify and sequence gag, pol and env regions of the virus from the queen, two kittens and other cats from the colony.


CONCLUSIONS
Phylogenetic analysis showed evidence of queen to kitten transmission.
Laboratório de Virologia Molecular Animal, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Sheila de Oliveira
Sde O
Medeiros
Angelica Nascimento
AN
Martins
Carlos Gabriel Almeida
CG
Dias
Amilcar
A
Tanuri
Rodrigo de Moraes
Rde M
Brindeiro
D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D016181:Feline Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D016089:Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010375:Pedigree; D010802:Phylogeny; D011247:Pregnancy; D012191:Retroviridae Proteins / Q000235:genetics
D012191:Retroviridae Proteins