ABSTRACT
The aim of the study was to determine the usefulness of FCoV Ab rapid serological tests in the diagnosis of the effusive form of FIP in cats. The cats included in the study were divided into two groups. The study group consisted of 40 cats with a strain of FCoV causing FIP (the presence of the M1058L mutation) in the abdominal fluid determined using PCR. The control group consisted of 15 cats with ascites caused by factors other than FCoV infection. Serological examination demonstrated the presence of antibodies to feline coronavirus in 28 out of 40 samples of the fluid collected from animals included in the study group, which constituted 70.0% of the tested samples. No antibodies to coronavirus were identified in any of the peritoneal fluid samples collected from the cats included in the control group using rapid immunochromatographic tests. The results obtained in our own studies demonstrated that the serological test ensured very high probability, especially in the detection of infected animals, as well as, although with a slightly lower probability, in the exclusion of the presence of FIP virus infection in the samples of fluid collected from the peritoneal cavity.
ABSTRACT
The aim of the study was to evaluate the immune response in cats after the administration of Zylexis (group A), a vaccine against FHV-1 and FCV infections (group B), and a combination of the vaccine and Zylexis (group D). The evaluated parameters included the total number of leukocytes and lymphocytes in peripheral blood, the number of CD4 and CD8 lymphocytes, the ratio of CD4 to CD8 (CD4/CD8) and the concentration of anti- FCV and anti-FHV-1 antibodies in the serum of the subjects, as well as the bacteriolytic activity of lysozyme and the haptoglobin level. Significantly higher values of almost all these parameters were recorded in cats receiving a combination of the immunostimulator and the vaccine during the whole study period compared to cats receiving only the immunostimulator or only the vaccine. Additionally, the increase in immunological parameters in animals from this group was positively correlated with the concentration of anti-FHV-1 and anti-FCV antibodies. This may indicate a stimulated humoral as well as cellular response. Neither Zylexis nor the vaccine alone induced as strong an immune response as the combined administration of the vaccine with the immunostimulator. This indicates that it may be advisable to combine vaccines against FHV-1 and FCV with immunostimulators to increase immunity against FHV-1 and FCV. Further studies of the influence of combined administration of vaccines and different immunomodulating preparations on the parameters of specific and non-specific immune responses in cats are necessary.