Effects of topical ocular administration of high doses of human recombinant interferon alpha-2b and feline recombinant interferon omega on naturally occurring viral keratoconjunctivitis in cats.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether 14-day topical ocular administration of high doses of feline recombinant interferon omega (FelFN) or human recombinant interferon alpha-2b (HulFN) solution improves clinical disease and decreases virus shedding in cats with naturally acquired viral keratoconjunctivitis.


METHODS
36 cats with upper respiratory tract disease and ocular involvement.


METHODS
Cats received 1 drop of FelFN solution (1 × 10(6) U/mL), HulFN solution (1 × 10(6) U/mL), or saline (0.9% NaCl) solution (12 cats/group) in each eye twice daily for 14 days (beginning day 1). Oropharyngeal and conjunctival swab samples were collected from each cat before (day 0) and on day 14 of treatment for virus isolation (VI) and real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) testing to detect feline herpesvirus-1 and feline calicivirus. Subjective clinical scores were recorded on days 0, 3, 7, 10, and 14.


RESULTS
The number of cats for which feline herpesvirus-1 was detected via VI or RT-qPCR assay was generally (albeit not always significantly) lower on day 14, compared with day 0 findings; however, findings on days 0 or 14 did not differ among groups. The number of cats for which feline calicivirus was detected via VI or RT-qPCR assay did not differ significantly between days 0 and 14 for any group. Clinical scores significantly decreased over the 14-day period but did not differ among groups.


CONCLUSIONS
In cats with naturally occurring viral keratoconjunctivitis, bilateral ocular administration of high doses of FelFN or HulFN twice daily for 14 days did not improve clinical disease or virus shedding, compared with treatment with saline solution.
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
Jessica M
JM
Slack
Jean
J
Stiles
Christian M
CM
Leutenegger
George E
GE
Moore
Roman M
RM
Pogranichniy
D060433:Administration, Ophthalmic; D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017927:Calicivirus, Feline / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002415:Cats; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007639:Keratoconjunctivitis, Infectious / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018140:Varicellovirus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007370:Interferon Type I; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C063743:interferon omega 1