title: Gammaretrovirus-specific antibodies in free-ranging and captive Namibian cheetahs.
abstract: The cheetah population in Namibia is the largest free-ranging population in the world and a key population for research regarding the health status of this species. We used serological methods and quantitative real-time PCR to test free-ranging and captive Namibian cheetahs for the presence of feline leukemia virus (FeLV), a gammaretrovirus that can be highly aggressive in populations with low genetic diversity, such as cheetahs. We also assessed the presence of antibodies to other gammaretroviruses and the responses to a FeLV vaccine developed for domestic cats. Up to 19% of the free-ranging cheetahs, 27% of the captive nonvaccinated cheetahs, and 86% of the captive vaccinated cheetahs tested positive for FeLV antibodies. FeLV-antibody-positive free-ranging cheetahs also tested positive for Rauscher murine leukemia virus antibodies. Nevertheless, FeLV was not detectable by quantitative real-time PCR and no reverse transcriptase activity was detectable by product-enhanced reverse transcriptase assay in the plasma of cheetahs or the supernatants from cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The presence of antibodies to gammaretroviruses in clinically healthy specimens may be caused either by infection with a low-pathogenic retrovirus or by the expression of endogenous retroviral sequences. The strong humoral immune responses to FeLV vaccination demonstrate that cheetahs can respond to the vaccine and that vaccination against FeLV infection may be beneficial should FeLV infection ever become a threat, as was seen in Iberian lynx and Florida panthers.
authors: Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany.
authors: Annika
authors: A
authors: Krengel
authors: Clinical Laboratory, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors: Valentino
authors: V
authors: Cattori
authors: Clinical Laboratory, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors: Marina L
authors: ML
authors: Meli
authors: Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany.
authors: Bettina
authors: B
authors: Wachter
authors: Swiss National Center for Retroviruses, Institute for Medical Virology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors: Jürg
authors: J
authors: Böni
authors: Swiss National Center for Retroviruses, Institute for Medical Virology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors: Leslie R
authors: LR
authors: Bisset
authors: Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany.
authors: Susanne
authors: S
authors: Thalwitzer
authors: Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany.
authors: Jörg
authors: J
authors: Melzheimer
authors: The AfriCat Foundation, Otjiwarongo, Namibia.
authors: Mark
authors: M
authors: Jago
authors: Clinical Laboratory, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors: Regina
authors: R
authors: Hofmann-Lehmann
authors: Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany.
authors: Heribert
authors: H
authors: Hofer
authors: Clinical Laboratory, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland hlutz@vetclinics.uzh.ch.
authors: Hans
authors: H
authors: Lutz
mesh_terms: D002612:Acinonyx / Q000821:virology*; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001769:Blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D005256:Leukemia Virus, Feline / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008297:Male; D009276:Namibia; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012192:Retroviridae Infections / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D012698:Serologic Tests; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D014765:Viral Vaccines