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The FIP or Feline Infectious Peritonitis is the new illness ashamed of the feline world. A case of FIP in a cattery? Necessarily due to a bad hygiene! Would not "that ever arrive in mine ". How many times didn't I hear this sentence. But how to make in sort of ever to be touched? Here are some precisions to see clearer there. The FIP appears among some cats carriers of a virus of the family of the coronavirus (as well as the agent of the atypical pneumopathia, that however, doesn't belong to the same subfamily). The coronavirus is viruses to RNA enveloped: the genetic information is carried by a sprig of RNA, contained in a proteic capsule, herself enveloped by a lipidic membrane sprinkled of viral proteins. These viruses present a very elevated mutation rate and it is likely that every individual carrier shelters at least a viral stump that is clean to him. I believe that what it is necessary before all thing to keep in mind, it is the weak percentage of cats carriers of coronavirus that develops one FIP effectively. The survey led by the Dr Addie [D.D. Addie, J.M. Dennis, S. Toth, J.J. Callanan, S. Reid O. and Jarrett. 2000. Long-term impact one has closed household of fart cats of natural infection with feline coronaviruses, feline leukaemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus] insists on one point: it is necessary to note the mortality of 100% in the 5 years in the case of the infection by the FeLV against only 10% in the case of the coronavirus. Other studies advance numbers of the order of 2 to 5%. The very young cats and the aged cats are the main victims. The puberty, as well as the sterilization, seem, according to the testimonies of owners and breeders, to be the factors triggering. Other facts make a hereditary sensitivity think, that is to a genetic factor. The Winn Feline Foundation summarizes the factors of risks thus : - the age of the cat (the young are more sensitive) - the genetic sensitivity (cash for about 50% in the apparition of one FIP) - the proportion of carriers chronic of coronavirus in the environment Of one point of molecular view, it is admitted practically that the virus transfers in itself réplicant at its host, sometimes producing a virulent stump. Nevertheless, the reason of this virulence remains unknown. And before everybody doesn't panic, I add that of apès the studies, the cat is not at that moment more or very little infectious for its mates [Peter J.M. Rottier. 1999. The molecular dynamics of feline coronaviruses], the virulent stumps seeming less expeditious to transmit itself. In the present state of the knowledge, the feline breeder is facing a choice : - To select the resistant cats, what implies to work in presence of the pathogenic agent, to know, in a coronavirus-positive environment. - To work in a coronavirus-negative environment. By this work of the Federation French of the Korat, we hope to give you not a line of conduct, but suffisemment of information so that you can make yourself your own choice. We will start with treating the case of the resistance to the FIP. We won't speak here of the 4% of cats resisting the infection by the coronavirus, signalled in the survey reported by the Dr Addie. We are going to focus preferentially on this majority of cats carriers of coronavirus and that develop one FIP never. In a magazine of 1999, P.J. Rottier concludes on the importance of a capable immune system otherwise to prevent the infection completely, of the less to contain it to the maximum (3). Considering the present knowledge, it seems preferable not to select a strong answer antibody and to privilege a good cellular immunity (leukocytes and macrophages). The problem is that no test permits to control this parameter for the meantime, and that one can choose to separate of reproduction the stallions and the females of which several descendants died of the FIP therefore only. This approach, based on the selection of the lineages has its advantages: she/it permits to limit the probability of FIP considerably if a kitten is placed in a coronavirus-positive environment. A survey described by K. Hok [K. Hok. 1993. Morbidity, mortality and coronavirus antigen in previously coronavirus free kittens placed in two catteries with feline infectious peritonitis] returns the very high death rate of coronavirus-negative kittens when they are placed in a coronavirus-positive environment: 90 to 100% of the kittens died in the 2 months following the introduction of the kittens in the contaminated environment, to compare with the rate of only 5% of mortality among the carriers of coronavirus. The non negligible risk, on the other hand, it is to see to die several of its FIP kittens the day where one will have made the bad choice out of one of its reproductive. Remain the other option: to tempt to have an unscathed chatterie of coronavirus. In this case, the risks and advantages are reversed. The beneficial point, it is that if the kittens are maintained in a coronavirus-negative environment, one can be sure to 100% that they will never develop the FIP. On the other hand, there is a very strong probability so that these kittens, put in presence of coronavirus, trigger one FIP in the weeks following this setting in contact and die in the months that follow. Some breeders think that it is impossible to get an unscathed chatterie of coronavirus. It is to underestimate the recent progress concerning tests of detection of the presence of coronavirus. However, it seems to me that to get an unscathed chatterie of coronavirus is more comfortable for someone that would start raising currently, and with a weak efficient. In a beginner's case, the way to make is simple enough: it is sufficient so much that to make that is able to acquire the reproductive coronavirus-negative (the tests are retailed farther). It is necessary to remain conscious that no test of detection being reliable to 100%, more one multiplera the acquirements, more one will take the risk to introduce a false negative in the chatterie. A strength limited. or the sharing of a strong strength in small subgroups - seems to me to be therefore a good guarantee to maintain a coronavirus-negative strength. The Dr Addie retails the procedure to tempt to get a negative chatterie when raising is preexisting. The technique implies to make practice tests repeated during 8 to 12 months, every month, on the set of the cats. Here are its recommendations : - To separate the cats in small groups (3 to 4 maximum individuals) according to the result of the detection (same rate of coronavirus = same group) test. - To replace the chronic carriers, that to be-to-say, those that didn't get rid of the virus. - If there are kittens of a positive mother, to practice a precocious severance. The precocious severance consists in separating the mother's kittens enters 5 and 6 weeks. Considering the race that we raise, he/it seems more discriminating to me to quit all reproduction during the négativisation of the chatterie. We are going to retail the tests existing on the market now and named to twists" tests FIP ". First, I invite you briskly to more to use this term, and to prefer him the one of" test coronavirus ". Indeed, on this day, no test makes the difference between the presence of benign coronavirus and the presence of a virulent stump susceptible to trigger one FIP (confer the beginning of this article). What are the tests currently on the market? They are numerous but one can already advise some against strongly certain. 1. The test by electrophoresis of the proteins This test permits to measure out the proportion of the different globulins (antibody, to simplify) in blood. The A/G report is (albumin / globulin) one of the parameters to measure in the case of a FIP suspicion. But it doesn't absolutely permit to predict the presence or no of a feline coronavirus, not more that to know if yes or no, the cat will trigger one FIP. The électrophorèse is a tool of diagnosis, not of follow-up of a raising. It is therefore to proscribe for the use of which we speak here. 2. The balance FIP There again, it is about a diagnosis tool. As its name indicates it, it is about a balance measuring different parameters. It is not of any utility for the follow-up of a cattery. 3. The ELISA test It is about a test based on the detection of antibody anti-coronavirus. The detection makes itself on a blood sample. The answer is the type yes / no. The inconvenience of such a test is that it presents very numerous false negatives, but also many false positives. It is not considered therefore like reliable. 4. The ImmunoComb test of Biogal Galed Laboratories This remark is however to vary since it seems that a test in kit, of this nature, has been developed with good results. It is about the ImmunoComb test. This test presents the advantage not to come out of false negatives. Some false positives have been signalled at the time of the survey. This excellent news has been announced by the Dr Addie at the time of the symposium on the FIP that was held in 5. The titration antibody Under this generic term, one includes all techniques consisting in determining the rate of antibody anti-coronavirus present in the blood sample. To the difference of the ELISA test, a multitude of dilutions of the blood sample is tested, what permits to have a good idea of the rate of antibody. It is important to note that the gotten titration is variable according to the laboratory that practices it. The tests achieved in Glasgow (Companion Animal Diagnosis, 6. The PCR tests The PCR test detects the coronavirus directly, or more precisely their genetic material, the RNA. The technic said of quantitative RT-PCR permits to quantify with an excellent precision numbers it of viral particles in the sample. It is fundamental to understand that this test must not be practiced on blood sample: the coronavirus not passing the intestinal gate systematically, such a test presents too many risks of false negatives. Otherwise, contrary to a very widespread idea, it is not because the virus is recovered in the blood that the cat will develop one FIP automatically, and vice versa. doesn't have an interrelationship between the presence of the coronavirus in blood and the development of one FIP. The ideal test is practiced on rectal swab, but it can also be practiced on a sample of stools. It constitutes a" photograph" of the statute of the cat (excretory or non excretory) to the instant where is appropriated the sample. To establish with certainty the negativity of a cat, it agrees to get 5 negative results to one month of interval each. The SCANELIS laboratory of - Negative: no virus has been detected - Very weak: virus detected, but the animal doesn't excrete - Weak: virus detected, but the animal doesn't excrete - Means - Strong: the cat is excretory of coronavirus - Very strong: the cat is excretory of coronavirus I believe that one can think reasonably that these tests are a progress. Certainly, no one is truly reliable to 100%, and all require to be repeated to have a good idea of the statute of a cat, and of the cattery in general, but the rates of reliability progressed considerably these last years. Nevertheless, it seems also important to me to become aware that our cats are not isolated of the rest of the world (although the Koratses are withdrawn" more" than the other of part their preciosity) and that the tests must be renewed therefore frequently. Every animal left in protrusion, or having received a protrusion, should be reteste (with a lapse of time to leave the possibility to the virus to develop itself/themselves, if the case arises, and therefore, to be detected). The major problem to which the breeders are going to have henceforth to cope, is the separation that starts itself between positive chatteries and negative catteries. It seems to me that this separation is dangerous for the future of our races. It is why I would like to signal here that it is possible to mate a positive male to a negative female (or inversely) without the negative cat is contaminated. The technique is specified by the Dr Addie. It ensues because the coronavirus essentially transmits themselves, and almost-exclusively by the sharing of litter (i.e. the stools). If such a mating is necessary (I hear for the program of raising), it is necessary to look then after what the 2 cats don't share the same litter, of it leaving them together only the time to pair off. The negative cat should be isolated surely of the rest of the negative strength to the return of protrusion, and to test 15 days after. As you could note it, the FIP is not anymore a fatality. Or should not be rather more a fatality. Every breeder must take his responsibilities facing this illness, and not to play the politics of the ostrich. What does it mean? It means to assume the risks described higher. Did you choose to have positive cats? Then, fully assume it, and accept to inform the future owners on the risks incurred by the cat. Offer a guarantee: your lineages are selected on the resistance to the FIP, this guarantee has therefore little risk to have to function, but it must be offered for a question obvious of ethics. I don't think that no one will contradict me on this point. Do you have a negative chatterie? You tell yourselves that therefore, you don't owe anything to anyone, and that it is not your mistake if one of your kittens dies of the FIP. And well, to my sense, you have twisted! It seems to me to have described the risk that a breeder working with a negative strength accepts to make its kittens take perfectly. Has you, therefore, to assume also. I add that it is necessary to take also counts the fact of it that the physical condition of the cat plays a role in the starting point of the FIP, as well as stress. However, it is the breeder's duty to look after the good physical condition of the kitten, and to reduce stress of the new environment to the maximum, thanks to the work of socialization. In other words, even though the cattery is negative, the breeder keeps a responsibility facing the FIP. I am of opinion that also, in this case a guarantee should be offered to the purchaser of the kitten. To each therefore to assume its choices. And to no one to judge them. I hope that each will find in this text the answers to its questions. The science advancing slowly in this domain. To the breeders to help it towards the maximum, while transmitting the information systematically on their case of FIP. This transparency won't be able to make itself that if one stops playing the ostriches and to show the finger those that had to face this ignoble illness. For in to know more on the FIP, the site following offer the state of the art in the following languages: English, French, Spaniard, Italian, German, Swede, and Netherlander [http://www.dr-addie.com] | ||||||
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