ABSTRACT
While the importance of viral infections is well studied in domestic cats, only limited information is available on their occurence and prevalence in the European wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris). The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of antibodies to feline coronavirus (FCoV), calicivirus (FCV), herpesvirus (FHV), parvovirus (FPV), immunodeficiency virus (FIV), leukemia virus (FeLV), and FeLV antigenemia in 51 European wildcat sera. Samples were collected between 1996 and 1997 from wildcat populations in France, Switzerland, and Germany. Antibodies to FCoV were detected in two cats (4%) and FCoV RNA was detected in feces of one of these two cats. Antibodies to FCV, FHV and FPV were found at relatively low frequencies of 16%, 4%, and 2%, respectively. Antibodies to FIV were not detected. Although antigen and antibodies to FeLV were detected in 49%, and 75%, respectively, no evidence of FeLV-associated pathology was found. From the low prevalence of FCoV, FCV, FHV and FPV infections and from the fact that the European wildcats live solitarily, it was concluded that these viral infections do not spread readily within a population. Therefore, it may be assumed that release into the wild of European wildcats bred in captivity would not bring about a high risk of introducing of these viral infections to the free-ranging wildcats. As an exception, wildcats should be tested for absence of FIV infection before release if they were at risk to acquire this infection from domestic cats.
Subject(s)
Carnivora , DNA Virus Infections/veterinary , RNA Virus Infections/veterinary , Animals , Animals, Wild , Antibodies, Viral/blood , Caliciviridae Infections/epidemiology , Caliciviridae Infections/immunology , Caliciviridae Infections/veterinary , Cats , Coronavirus Infections/epidemiology , Coronavirus Infections/immunology , Coronavirus Infections/veterinary , DNA Virus Infections/epidemiology , DNA Virus Infections/immunology , DNA Viruses/immunology , DNA Viruses/pathogenicity , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay/veterinary , Feline Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/epidemiology , Feline Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/immunology , Feline Panleukopenia/epidemiology , Feline Panleukopenia/immunology , Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect/veterinary , France/epidemiology , Germany/epidemiology , Herpesviridae Infections/epidemiology , Herpesviridae Infections/immunology , Herpesviridae Infections/veterinary , Prevalence , RNA Virus Infections/epidemiology , RNA Virus Infections/immunology , RNA Viruses/immunology , RNA Viruses/pathogenicity , Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary , Seroepidemiologic Studies , Switzerland/epidemiologyABSTRACT
The activities of several lysosomal hydrolases (beta-galactosidase, beta-hexosaminidase, alpha-mannosidase, beta-glucuronidase and acid phosphatase) were determined in serum and blood lymphocytes from patients affected with scleroderma. Statistical comparisons between means of patient and control groups (Student's t test) showed a significant difference in serum beta-galactosidase and acid phosphatase between patients and controls (serum beta-galactosidase: 36.5 +/- 22 nmol/h/ml in the scleroderma group versus 24 +/- 13 nmol/h/ml in the control group; serum acid phosphatase 853 +/- 345 nmol/h/ml in the scleroderma group versus 634 +/- 295 nmol/h/ml in the control group). These differences were significant (p less than 0.01). Both enzyme activities were also significantly increased in the group with systemic scleroderma, but the difference was less in the group with localized scleroderma (this is discussed in terms of statistics and pathophysiology). The other enzyme activities determined were not significantly modified. The validity of these results is discussed, together with their diagnostic value and with the pathophysiological hypotheses put forward to explain the high levels found.
