Cats inoculated with feline infectious peritonitis virus exhibit a biphasic acute phase plasma protein response
Stoddart, M.E.; Whicher, J.T.; Harbour, D.A.
Veterinary Record 123(24): 622-624
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0042-4900 PMID: 2464231 Document Number: 311276
Six of ten one-year-old specific pathogen free cats were given 107 TCID50 of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) virus by both the intraperitoneal and intravenous routes; the other 4 cats acted as controls. All 6 cats developed pyrexia 48 hours after inoculation, and between 17 and 28 days after inoculation 5 cats developed clinical signs of FIP and were killed. None of the 4 control cats developed any clinical abnormality. FIP virus was detected in oropharyngeal secretions from 2-11 days after inoculation and in faeces from 2-15 days after inoculation. Serum samples collected daily for five days, then every 2-3 days were analysed by protein electrophoresis. The six inoculated cats showed a similar biphasic change in electrophoresis profiles. Protein bands corresponding to orosomucoid, haptoglobin, a beta 2 protein (possibly transferrin) and two other bands in the alpha -2 region (corresponding to ceruloplasmin and alpha -2 macroglobulin in human serum) all rose slightly the day after inoculation with FIP virus, then showed a large negative response before gradually recovering to normal levels terminally. The gamma globulins showed a smooth polyclonal increase over the testing period. The control cats showed no response. All six cats inoculated with FIP virus showed a rapid increase in antibody titre from day 7 after inoculation to a titre >2048 by day 13, which coincided with the increase in intensity in gamma globulins . In the cat that survived the antibody titre gradually declined over the next six months.