title: Prevalence and risk factors of gammaherpesvirus infection in domestic cats in Central Europe.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gammaherpesviruses (GHVs) are a large group of dsDNA viruses that can infect humans and several animal species. The two human GHVs, Epstein-Barr virus and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus are known for their oncogenic properties in individuals with immunodeficiency. Recently, the first feline GHV, Felis catus gammaherpesvirus 1 (FcaGHV1) was discovered and frequently found in domestic cats in Australia, Singapore and the USA. FcaGHV1 is more likely to be detected in cats co-infected with the feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of FcaGHV1 in pet cats from Germany and Austria was 16.2 % (95 % CI = 12.38-20.02). The odds for GHV infection were greater for FIV positive (OR = 4.5), male (OR = 13.32) and older (OR = 2.36) cats. Furthermore, FcaGHV1 viral loads were significantly higher in FIV-infected cats compared to matched controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GHV infections are common in domestic cats in Central Europe. The worldwide distribution of FcaGHV1 can be assumed. A potential role as a co-factor in FIV-induced pathogeneses is supported.
authors.affiliation: VetCore Facility for Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria. reinhard.ertl@vetmeduni.ac.at.
authors.forename: Reinhard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ertl
authors.affiliation: VetCore Facility for Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria. melanie.korb@vetmeduni.ac.at.
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Korb
authors.affiliation: Laboklin GmbH & Co KG, Bad Kissingen, Germany. langbein@laboklin.de.
authors.forename: Ines
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Langbein-Detsch
authors.affiliation: VetCore Facility for Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria. dieter.klein@vetmeduni.ac.at.
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Klein
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D002415:Cats; D016181:Feline Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D018142:Gammaherpesvirinae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D019562:Viral Load