Prevalence of feline immunodeficiency virus infection
in cats in the Coffs Harbour area.

A Dunn

Pacific Vetcare, Park Avenue, Coffs Harbour New South Wales 2450

Objective

 To determine prevalence of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) in ‘sick’ cats tested between February 2000 and May 2005 at three Coffs Harbour veterinary practices.

Design and procedures

In-house testing of serum or whole blood samples was performed using commercially available test kits. The test kit brands were not recorded.

Samples were obtained from a total of 58 clinical cases with a variety of non specific findings such as anemia, dental disease, abscesses, weight loss, anorexia, neurological disease.

Positive results were not confirmed by a second test.

An additional 6 ‘healthy’ cats were sampled.

Results

See table 1 (click on text to go to table 1)

11 of the 58 cats tested positive for FIV, giving a prevalence of 19%. The average age of infected cats was 11 years and 10 months.

Of the 58 cats tested, 21 (36%) were male neuters, 28 (48%) were female neuters, 5 (9%) were entire males and 4 (7%) were entire females.

8 of the 11 (73%) positive cats were male neuters, the remainder were female neuters. None of the 6 healthy cats were FIV positive.

4 positive cats live in Coffs Harbour, 3 in Toormina and 1 each in Corindi, Sandy Beach, Boambee and Sapphire.

Discussion

Studies of FIV prevalence have been carried out in several states in Australia with the general picture being that FIV infection is common in unwell cats. In previous studies, cats with clinical signs suggesting immune deficiency have demonstrated FIV prevalence of between 20% and 32%. (1,2,3,4)

Prior to February 2005 the cats were all clinical cases, and one can assume the attending vet in each case suspected the possibility of immune compromise in order to make the decision to test the cat for FIV.

The 20 cats sampled after February 2005 were tested as part of a concerted effort to build up numbers of samples meaning cats without suspected immunocompromise that may not have been tested under normal clinical circumstances may have been tested. In order for cats tested after February 2005 to be included they had to be greater then 12 months old, be presented for disease of any type, and be outdoor cats.

In effect cats sampled before February 2005 were probably biased towards immunocompromised cats while cats tested after February 2005 were less biased towards immunocompromise.

Of the 20 cats tested after February 2005, 3 (15%) were FIV positive.

Of the 38 cats tested prior to February 2005, 8 (21%) were FIV positive.

Amongst ‘healthy’ cats the FIV prevalence in past studies has varied from 6.5% to 29% (4,5)

Our 6 healthy cats were all negative, though the numbers are too small to make any comment about prevalence of FIV in healthy cats. See table 2. (click on text to go to table 2)

Anemia was a clinical finding in 3 cats, dental disease in 3 cats, abscess in 3 cats, chronic renal disease in 1 cat, renal lymphosarcoma in 1 cat, chronic respiratory and ear infections in 1 cat, and dysphagia in 1 cat.

73% of positive cats were male neuters despite male neuters making up only 36% of the total animals tested. It seems likely that many of these male neutered cats were infected early in life whilst roaming prior to being neutered.

Inaccuracies due to variation in test kits used, variation in techniques used, and incidence of false positives or negatives with various FIV test kits can not be ruled out, as no standard test procedure, or verifying of positives was performed.

Conclusions

FIV exists in cats in Coffs Harbour.

The prevalence of FIV in sick cats in Coffs Harbour is similar to that seen in previous studies of cat populations in other areas of Australia.

Male neuters were over represented in the group of FIV positive cats, though under represented in the whole population tested.

Positive cats reside between Corindi in the north, to Boambee in the south. In our small group of FIV positive cats, anemia, dental disease and abscesses were common presenting signs.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Coffs Harbour Veterinary Hospital (5 cats) and Rose Avenue Veterinary Hospital (4 cats) for providing some of the test results.

References

1. Friend, Birch, Lording, Marshall, Studdert. Feline immunodeficiency virus: Prevalence, disease associations and isolation. AVJ 1990;67:237-243
2. Snow. Low presence of feline leukemia. The Veterinarian July 1994
3. Belford, Miller, Mitchell, Rahley, Menrath. Evidence of FIV in Queensland cats. Aust Vet Pract 1989;19:4-6
4. Malik, Kendall, Cridland, Coulston, Stuart, Snow. Prevalences of FeLV and FIV infections in Sydney. AVJ 75;5:323-327
5. Robertson, Robinson, Alexander, Shaw, Sutherland. FIV and FeLV in cats.
   Aust Vet Pract 1990;20:66-69