Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) FIV, sometimes called Feline Aids, is a cat specific virus that belongs in the same family as HIV. It depletes the number of white blood cells weakening the cats ability to fight off infection. It is a very slow acting virus and many FIV positive cats enjoy a normal life span with little or no apparent health problems.
This virus has gotten a lot of publicity because of its relationship to HIV but FIV is species specific. This publicity has led to a significant amount of information to be published online but most of it has to be taken with a grain of salt. The viral strains used in laboratories experiments were very virulent an do not exist in the wild. Much of the published information is based on this laboratory form of FIV and the version that infects cats in the general population tends to be much more benign and may not ever cause disease.
How does the virus spread? Like HIV, the virus is present in the blood and saliva of infected cats and cannot survive long outside of the host body. It is not generally easily passed from host to host as it requires a high dose to establish a new infection. The most common method of infection is by a cat getting bit by an infected cat and hence injecting the virus directly into the blood stream.
It cannot be transmitted though casual contact and in fact research suggests the transmission rate in a non combatant situation is as low as 1-2%. There is no evidence that the virus is transmitted sexually but because tom's bite and hold the female's neck it is possible it is transmitted that way.
What are the symptoms?The only way to be certain is with a blood test as the symptoms vary greatly nd resemble any number of other infections or health issues. It is common that six to eight weeks after infection the host may have a high temperature and develop raised lymph nodes. Other common symptoms are diarrhea and or conjunctivitis lasting days or weeks, gingivitis, sneezing, discharge from the eyes or nose, or sometimes kidney failure. In rare cases the brain can be affected resulting in behavioral changes.
The most common symptomatic infection of FIV probably gingivitis and other infections of the mouth (but FIV is not among the common causes of gingivitis or mouth infections).
Because FIV is an immunosuppressent that depletes certain of the white blood cells it in theory makes the cat more susceptible to other infections. However in practice many cats do not have any more infections than cats which are not infected with the virus.
What are the long term effects?There have been many long term studies done on FIV and we know that FIV is a very slow acting virus. Almost all cats that become infected continue to have a strong immunity system years after infection. In fact studies have consistently shown that almost all infected cats will live a long normal life.
TestingThe test routinely done detects the antibodies that appear four to six weeks after infection. This test is called numerous names, the ELISA test, a CITE test, or a COMBO test and according to the Glasgow Companion Animal Diagnostic Unit up to 7% of positive results with the ELISA test are negative when checked by the more accurate IFA test.
The IFA (Immuno-Fluorescent Antibody) test cost's more but it will give you a definitive answer in under a week.
The antigen test which detects the viral DNA rather than just the antibody is relatively expensive but it can accurately test kittens or adults.
TreatmentOnce infected the condition is permanent. Many cats require little to no treatment and for the rest it is mostly a case of dealing with whatever symptoms occur in the individual cat. Generally this is done with conventional antibiotics.
VaccineThere is a vaccine but it is still too early to determine it's reliability. Like many vaccine the disadvantage is that once a cat has the vaccine they will test positive on an FIV test whether they are infected or not.
KittensFIV positive cats should be neutered but if the cat is allowed to become pregnant it is very rare for the kittens to become infected with the virus. Kittens born to an infected mother will often trigger a false positive if tested before 12-16 weeks as a result of anti bodies passed on though mothers milk. After 16 weeks the maternal immunity fades so there is little point in testing kittens under 16 weeks an antibody test.
ReferencesUniversity of Glasgow
www.gla.ac.uk/faculties/vet/cadUniversity of Bristol
http://bris.ac.uk/vetpath/lvd/lvd.htmVetlab Services Ltd.
www.vetlab.co.ukThecatchat
www.catchat.org/fiv.htmlAbout.com Cats Health cats.about.com/od/healthconcerns/Cat_Health.htm
