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Guan X, Li H, Han M, Jia S, Feng B, Gao X, Wang Z, Jiang Y, Cui W, Wang L, Xu Y. Epidemiological investigation of feline infectious peritonitis in cats living in Harbin, Northeast China from 2017 to 2019 using a combination of an EvaGreen-based real-time RT-PCR and serum chemistry assays. Mol Cell Probes 2019; 49:101495. [PMID: 31846702 PMCID: PMC7127830 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcp.2019.101495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2019] [Revised: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is caused by the FIP virus (FIPV), a highly virulent mutant form of feline coronavirus (FCoV). This disease is one of the most important infectious diseases in cats, and it is associated with high mortality, particularly among younger cats. In this study, we isolated a wild-type FIPV HRB-17 epidemic strain from the blood sample of household pet cat exhibiting the characteristic wet-form FIP symptoms, which has been confirmed further by animal infection. Further, we developed an EvaGreen-based real-time RT-PCR assay for the accurate detection of FCoV based on the amplification of the highly conserved FIPV N gene. Then, using a combination of the real-time RT-PCR approach and a serum chemistry assay, we performed an epidemiological survey of FIPV infection in cats living in Harbin City, Northeast China. The results indicated that the EvaGreen-based real-time RT-PCR assay can be used for screening FCoV infection in the affected cats at an analytical detection limit of 8.2 × 101 viral genome copies/μL, but could not effectively distinguish FIPVs from FECVs. Additionally, the results of the epidemiological survey investigating feline blood samples (n = 1523) collected between July 2017 to July 2019 revealed an FIPV prevalence of approximately 12% (189/1523). Maybe, the prevalence would be less than 12% due to the real-time RT-PCR assay could not accurately differentiate FIPV and FECV. Nevertheless, it still highlighted the severity of the FIP epidemic in cats and reiterated the urgent need to develop effective anti-FIP therapeutic agents and anti-FIPV vaccines. As pet cats are household animals, risk communication and continuous region-extended surveillance cat programs are recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueting Guan
- Heilongjiang Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Pharmaceutical Development, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, PR China
| | - Hua Li
- Heilongjiang Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Pharmaceutical Development, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, PR China
| | - Meijing Han
- Heilongjiang Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Pharmaceutical Development, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, PR China
| | - Shuo Jia
- Heilongjiang Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Pharmaceutical Development, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, PR China
| | - Baohua Feng
- Heilongjiang Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Pharmaceutical Development, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, PR China
| | - Xuwen Gao
- Heilongjiang Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Pharmaceutical Development, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, PR China
| | - Zhuo Wang
- Heilongjiang Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Pharmaceutical Development, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, PR China
| | - Yanping Jiang
- Heilongjiang Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Pharmaceutical Development, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, PR China
| | - Wen Cui
- Heilongjiang Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Pharmaceutical Development, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, PR China
| | - Li Wang
- Heilongjiang Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Pharmaceutical Development, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, PR China; Northeast Science Inspection Station, Key Laboratory of Animal Pathogen Biology of Ministry of Agriculture of China, Harbin, PR China
| | - Yigang Xu
- Heilongjiang Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Pharmaceutical Development, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, PR China; Northeast Science Inspection Station, Key Laboratory of Animal Pathogen Biology of Ministry of Agriculture of China, Harbin, PR China.
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