Viruses, Vol. 16, Pages 394: Prospective Investigation of Feline Leukemia Virus Infection in Stray Cats Subjected to a Trap & ndash;Neuter & ndash;Return Program in Switzerland

Viruses, Vol. 16, Pages 394: Prospective Investigation of Feline Leukemia Virus Infection in Stray Cats Subjected to a Trap–Neuter–Return Program in Switzerland Viruses doi: 10.3390/v16030394 Authors: Marina L. Meli Benita Pineroli Esther Geisser Regina Hofmann-Lehmann Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) remains a serious concern in some countries despite advances in diagnostics and vaccines. FeLV-infected cats often have reduced lifespans due to FeLV-associated diseases. The infection is transmitted through social interactions. While Northern European countries have reported a decrease in FeLV among pet cats, Switzerland’s rates remain stagnant at 2.7% (2016/17: 95% CI 1.4–5.2%). Research on FeLV in Swiss stray cats has been lacking, even though these animals could serve as a virus reservoir. Sampling stray cats that do not receive regular veterinary care can be challenging. Collaboration with the Swiss Network for Animal Protection (NetAP) allowed for the prospective collection of saliva samples from 1711 stray cats during a trap–neuter–return program from 2019 to 2023. These samples were tested for FeLV RNA using RT-qPCR as a measure for antigenemia. Viral RNA was detected in 4.0% (95% CI 3.1–5.0%) of the samples, with 7.7% (95% CI 4.9–11.3%) in sick cats and 3.3% (95% CI 2.4–4.4%) in healthy ones. We identified three geographically independent hotsp...
Source: Viruses - Category: Virology Authors: Tags: Article Source Type: research