Caringella Francesca, Elia Gabriella, Decaro Nicola, Martella Vito, Lanave Gianvito, Varello Katia, Catella Cristiana, Diakoudi Georgia, Carelli Grazia, Colaianni Maria Loredana, Bo Stefano, Buonavoglia Canio
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Strada Prov. per Casamassima Km 3, 70010 Valenzano, Bari, Italy.
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Strada Prov. per Casamassima Km 3, 70010 Valenzano, Bari, Italy.
Res Vet Sci. 2019 Jun;124:46-51. doi: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2019.02.008. Epub 2019 Feb 25.
Feline calicivirus (FCV) is a contagious viral pathogen that usually causes a mild, self-limiting respiratory disease. More recently, highly virulent FCV strains have emerged and have been associated with severe systemic infection, referred to as virulent systemic disease (VSD). The objective of this study is to report VSD cases in Italian cats along with the molecular characterization of two detected FCV strains. Three client-owned cats showed clinical signs resembling to those described for VSD cases. The cats were subjected to molecular investigations for detection of FCV and other feline pathogens. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry were performed on internal organs of one cat; molecular characterization of two detected FCV strains was obtained through sequence and phylogenetic analyses. Putative VS-FCV strains were detected in all three cats, which were co-infected with feline panleukopenia virus. The cat submitted to histopathology and immunohistochemistry displayed severe histological changes and FCV antigens in internal organs. Two Italian FCV strains, for which amplification of ORF2 was successful, were strictly related and formed a unique phylogenetic cluster. These viruses did not show consistent changes in the amino acid sequences with respect to reference VS-FCVs. The results of our study confirm that VS-FCV strains are circulating in Italy and that VSD diagnosis is complicated since both genetic and clinical markers have not been identified so far.
猫杯状病毒（FCV）是一种传染性病毒病原体，通常会引起轻度的、自限性的呼吸道疾病。最近，高毒力的FCV毒株出现了，并与严重的全身感染有关，称为毒力全身性疾病（VSD）。本研究的目的是报告意大利猫的VSD病例以及两种检测到的FCV毒株的分子特征。三只客户拥有的猫表现出与VSD病例描述相似的临床症状。对这些猫进行了分子检测，以检测FCV和其他猫病原体。对其中一只猫的内脏进行了组织病理学和免疫组织化学检查；通过序列和系统发育分析获得了两种检测到的FCV毒株的分子特征。在所有三只猫中都检测到了推定的VS-FCV毒株，它们同时感染了猫泛白细胞减少症病毒。接受组织病理学和免疫组织化学检查的猫在内脏中显示出严重的组织学变化和FCV抗原。成功扩增出ORF2的两种意大利FCV毒株密切相关，形成了一个独特的系统发育簇。相对于参考VS-FCVs，这些病毒在氨基酸序列上没有显示出一致的变化。我们的研究结果证实，VS-FCV毒株在意大利传播，并且由于目前尚未确定遗传和临床标志物，VSD的诊断很复杂。
