title: Felis catus papillomavirus types 1 and 4 are rarely present in neoplastic and inflammatory oral lesions of cats.
abstract: Oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) are common feline cancers. Why OSCCs are so common in cats is unknown; however, 25% of human OSCCs are caused by papillomaviruses (PVs). Two feline oral PVs (FcaPV-1 and 4) are recognized. As PVs are highly host and location specific, if PVs do cause feline OSCCs, FcaPV-1 and 4 are the most likely etiological agents. PCR primers specific for FcaPV-1 amplified DNA from 1 of 36 feline OSCCs and 1 of 16 inflammatory oral lesions. No DNA was amplified by primers specific for FcaPV-4. PV DNA was not amplified from any additional sample using consensus primers. No PV cytopathology was visible in the OSCC that contained FcaPV-1 DNA, but viral cytopathology was present in a focus of epithelial hyperplasia in the non-neoplastic sample. This study does not support a PV etiology of feline OSCCs, but shows that FcaPV-1 can asymptomatically infect the mouth of cats.
authors: Department of Pathobiology, Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11 222, Palmerston North, New Zealand. Electronic address: J.Munday@massey.ac.nz.
authors: John S
authors: JS
authors: Munday
authors: New Zealand Veterinary Pathology Ltd, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
authors: Adrienne F
authors: AF
authors: French
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D002415:Cats; D007249:Inflammation / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D009055:Mouth / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*
keywords: Cancer; Carcinogenesis; Cat; FcaPV-1; Oral; Papillomavirus; p16