Adams Hayley, van Vuuren Moritz, Kania Stephen, Bosman Anna-Mari, Keet Dewald, New John, Kennedy Melissa
Department of Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, 2407 River Drive, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA.
J Zoo Wildl Med. 2010 Dec;41(4):608-15. doi: 10.1638/2009-0137.1.
Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a lentivirus in the Retroviridae family that causes lifelong infection in domestic cats. The lentivirus of African lions (Panthera leo), referred to as FIVple, is endemic in certain lion populations in eastern and southern Africa. Lentivirus infection leads to immunologic dysfunction and immunosuppressive disease in domestic cats; however, little is known about the pathogenic effects of infection in lions, nor about the epidemiologic impact on free-ranging and captive populations. Whole blood and serum samples were collected opportunistically from free-ranging lions in Kruger National Park, Republic of South Africa (RSA). Whole blood and serum samples were also collected from captive wild lions in the RSA. A nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for detection of FIV was performed on all whole blood samples. In addition, serum samples were tested for cross-reactive antibodies to domestic feline lentivirus antigens and puma lentivirus synthetic envelope peptide antigen. The PCR assay successfully amplified the lion lentivirus from African lions. The relative sensitivity and relative specificity were 79% and 100%, respectively, and the positive and negative predictive values were 100% and 67%, respectively. This research represents the first study to compare genetic material with antibody-based methods of lentivirus detection on lions in RSA. Using PCR as an additional diagnostic test for FIV in lions will increase screening sensitivity and will allow viral characterization among circulating isolates and monitoring of changes in the viral epidemiology within geographic regions and populations over time.
猫免疫缺陷病毒（FIV）是逆转录病毒科中的一种慢病毒，可导致家猫终身感染。非洲狮（Panthera leo）的慢病毒，称为FIVple，在非洲东部和南部的某些狮子种群中呈地方性流行。慢病毒感染会导致家猫出现免疫功能障碍和免疫抑制性疾病；然而，对于狮子感染的致病作用以及对野生和圈养种群的流行病学影响知之甚少。我们从南非共和国克鲁格国家公园的野生狮子中随机采集了全血和血清样本。还从南非的圈养野生狮子中采集了全血和血清样本。对所有全血样本进行了用于检测FIV的巢式聚合酶链反应（PCR）分析。此外，对血清样本检测了针对家猫慢病毒抗原和美洲狮慢病毒合成包膜肽抗原的交叉反应抗体。PCR分析成功地从非洲狮中扩增出了狮子慢病毒。相对灵敏度和相对特异性分别为79%和100%，阳性预测值和阴性预测值分别为100%和67%。这项研究是首次在南非对狮子进行慢病毒检测时，将基因材料与基于抗体的方法进行比较的研究。将PCR用作狮子FIV的额外诊断检测方法将提高筛查灵敏度，并能够对循环分离株进行病毒特征分析，以及随着时间推移监测地理区域和种群内病毒流行病学的变化。
