52 Oral Manifestations of Feline Infectious Diseases

DEFINITION/OVERVIEW



  • This chapter will primarily cover the oral ramifications/manifestations/aspects of three feline infectious diseases: feline calicivirus (calici, FCV), feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), and feline leukemia virus (FeLV). For a more complete discussion of other body systems affected, detailed therapeutic regimens, and discussions, please see the corresponding chapters in Five-Minute Veterinary Consult: Canine and Feline, 5th edition, listed at the end of this chapter.

    • Calici: a common viral respiratory disease of domestic and exotic cats characterized by upper respiratory signs, oral ulceration, pneumonia, and occasionally arthritis, or a highly fatal systemic hemorrhagic disease
    • FeLV: a retrovirus (Gammaretrovirus genus) that causes immunodeficiency and neoplastic disease in domestic cats
    • FIV: a retrovirus that causes an immunodeficiency disease in domestic cats; same genus (Lentivirus) as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the causative agent of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in humans

c52uf003ETIOLOGY/PATHOPHYSIOLOGY



  • Calici

    • A small, nonenveloped single-stranded RNA virus
    • Numerous strains exist in nature, with varying degrees of antigenic cross-reactivity and more than one serotype
    • Relatively stable and resistant to many disinfectants
    • Rapid cytolysis of infected cells with resulting tissue pathology and clinical disease
    • Gastrointestinal: ulceration of the tongue common; occasional ulceration of the hard palate and lips; infection occurs in intestines; usually no clinical disease (respiratory, ophthalmic, musculoskeletal)

  • FeLV

    • Early infection consists of five stages

      • Viral replication in tonsils and pharyngeal lymph nodes
      • Infection of a few circulating B lymphocytes and macrophages that disseminate the virus
      • Replication in lymphoid tissues, intestinal crypt epithelial cells, and bone marrow precursor cells
      • Release of infected neutrophils and platelets from the bone marrow into the circulatory system
      • Infection of epithelial and glandular tissues, with subsequent shedding of virus into the saliva and urine

    • An adequate immune response stops progression at stage 2 or 3 (4–8 weeks after exposure) and forces the virus into latency
    • Persistent viremia (stages 4 and 5) usually develops 4–6 weeks after infection, but may take 12 weeks
    • All other body systems (other than hemic/immune and nervous) may develop immunosuppression with secondary infections or development of neoplastic disease
    • Cat-to-cat transmission: bites; close casual contact (grooming); shared dishes or litter pans
    • Perinatal transmission: fetal and neonatal death of kittens from 80% of affected queens; transplacental and transmammary transmission in at least 20% of surviving kittens from infected queens

  • FIV

    • Infection disrupts immune system function; feline lymphocytes and macrophages serve as the main target cells for virus replication
    • Patients are clinically asymptomatic until cell-mediated immunity (CMI) is disrupted
    • Macrophages: main reservoir of virus in affected cats throughout body
    • Coinfection with FeLV may increase the expression in many tissues
    • Body systems other than immune/renal, nervous: result of immunosuppression and secondary infections
    • Cat-to-cat transmission: usually by bite wounds; occasionally perinatal transmission; sexual transmission uncommon

c52uf004SIGNALMENT/HISTORY


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May 22, 2017 | Posted by in GENERAL | Comments Off on 52 Oral Manifestations of Feline Infectious Diseases

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