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Pathogens
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Advances on Feline Coronavirus Infection
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Advances on Feline Coronavirus Infection

A special issue of Pathogens (ISSN 2076-0817). This special issue belongs to the section "Viral Pathogens".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 December 2022) | Viewed by 44833

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Alessia Giordano

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Milan, 26900 Lodi, Italy
Interests: inflammation; pathogenesis and diagnosis of infectious diseases in domestic animals
Dr. Stefania Lauzi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Milan, 26900 Lodi, Italy
Interests: viral diseases of domestic and wild animals; vector-borne pathogens

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Feline coronavirus (FCoV) infects cats worldwide. FCoV is an enveloped single-stranded RNA virus with a high mutation rate leading to different quasispecies and two pathotypes generally referred to as the ubiquitous enteric pathotype (FECV; less virulent FCoV) and the fatal systemic feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV; virulent FCoV). A minority of FCoV-infected cats develops FIP, an immune-mediated disease characterized by serofibrinous and granulomatous serositis and granulomatous inflammatory lesions in several organs. No effective causal treatment has yet been identified, and virtually every cat with confirmed FIP dies or is euthanized. Despite decades of studies, mechanisms of disease, systemic spread, and host–virus interactions are still not fully understood, making the in vivo diagnosis and treatment of FIP a challenge for vets and scientists. Recent research findings have identified promising antiviral molecules against FIPV, but most of these compounds are still under investigation, and in vivo efficacy is still unknown.  

The aim of this Special Issue, ‘Advances on Feline Coronavirus infection’, is to explore the research landscape to find novel developments that may impact FIP diagnosis and strategies for controlling FIP.

We invite the submission of either an original research article or a review summarizing different aspects of feline coronavirus virus infection. Manuscripts highlighting the mechanisms of viral replication, basic mechanisms of FIPV infection in vitro and in vivo, virulence factors of the virus, virus interaction with the host immune system, development of novel diagnostic tools, and studies on therapeutic and preventive measures are welcome. We look forward to your contribution.

Dr. Alessia Giordano
Dr. Stefania Lauzi
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pathogens is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Feline coronavirus
  • Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP)
  • Virulence factor
  • Virus immune-system interaction
  • Molecular pathogenesis
  • Diagnosis
  • Treatment
  • Prevention

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 1082 KiB  
Article
Unlicensed Molnupiravir is an Effective Rescue Treatment Following Failure of Unlicensed GS-441524-like Therapy for Cats with Suspected Feline Infectious Peritonitis
by Meagan Roy, Nicole Jacque, Wendy Novicoff, Emma Li, Rosa Negash and Samantha J. M. Evans
Pathogens 2022, 11(10), 1209; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pathogens11101209 - 20 Oct 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 23180
Abstract
Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a complex and historically fatal disease, though recent advances in antiviral therapy have uncovered potential treatments. A newer therapeutic option, unlicensed molnupiravir, is being used as a first-line therapy for suspect FIP and as a rescue therapy to [...] Read more.
Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a complex and historically fatal disease, though recent advances in antiviral therapy have uncovered potential treatments. A newer therapeutic option, unlicensed molnupiravir, is being used as a first-line therapy for suspect FIP and as a rescue therapy to treat cats who have persistent or relapsed clinical signs of FIP after GS-441524 and/or GC376 therapy. Using owner-reported data, treatment protocols for 30 cats were documented. The 26 cats treated with unlicensed molnupiravir as a rescue therapy were treated with an average starting dosage of 12.8 mg/kg and an average ending dosage of 14.7 mg/kg twice daily for a median of 12 weeks (IQR = 10–15). In total, 24 of 26 cats were still living disease-free at the time of writing. One cat was euthanized after completing treatment due to a prolonged seizure, and the other cat underwent retreatment for relapsed clinical signs. Few adverse effects were reported, with the most notable—folded ears (1), broken whiskers (1), and severe leukopenia (1)—seen at dosages above 23 mg/kg twice daily. This study provides a proof of principle for the use of molnupiravir in cats and supports the need for future studies to further evaluate molnupiravir as a potentially safe and effective therapy for FIP. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances on Feline Coronavirus Infection)
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8 pages, 253 KiB  
Communication
Evaluation of Association between Blood Phenotypes A, B and AB and Feline Coronavirus Infection in Cats
by Eva Spada, Alice Carrera Nulla, Roberta Perego, Luciana Baggiani and Daniela Proverbio
Pathogens 2022, 11(8), 917; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pathogens11080917 - 15 Aug 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1424
Abstract
Cats are susceptible to feline coronavirus (FCoV), a highly contagious virus with fecal–oral transmission. In people, susceptibility to coronavirus infection, such as SARS-CoV infection, has been associated with the ABO blood group, with individuals with blood group O having significantly lower risk of [...] Read more.
Cats are susceptible to feline coronavirus (FCoV), a highly contagious virus with fecal–oral transmission. In people, susceptibility to coronavirus infection, such as SARS-CoV infection, has been associated with the ABO blood group, with individuals with blood group O having significantly lower risk of SARS-CoV infection. This study evaluated a possible association between feline blood group phenotypes A, B and AB and serostatus for antibodies against FCoV. We also investigated risk or protective factors associated with seropositivity for FCoV in the investigated population. Feline populations were surveyed for AB group system blood types and for presence of antibodies against FCoV. Blood phenotype, origin, breed, gender, reproductive status and age of cats were evaluated as protective or risk factors for coronavirus infection. No blood type was associated with FCoV seropositivity, for which being a colony stray cat (p = 0.0002, OR = 0.2, 95% CI: 0.14–0.54) or a domestic shorthair cat (p = 0.0075, OR = 0.2, 95% CI = 0.09–0.69) were protective factors. Based on results of this study, feline blood phenotypes A, B or AB do not seem to predispose cats to seropositivity for FCoV. Future studies on other feline blood types and other infections could clarify whether feline blood types could play a role in predisposing to, or protecting against, feline infections. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances on Feline Coronavirus Infection)
17 pages, 7015 KiB  
Article
Relationship between Uveal Inflammation and Viral Detection in 30 Cats with Feline Infectious Peritonitis
by Mariano Carossino, Fabio Del Piero, Jeongha Lee, David B. Needle, Jonathan M. Levine, Ronald R. Riis, Roger Maes, Annabel G. Wise, Keenan Mullaney, Jacqueline Ferracone and Ingeborg M. Langohr
Pathogens 2022, 11(8), 883; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pathogens11080883 - 05 Aug 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2014
Abstract
Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) virus is the most common infectious cause of uveitis in cats. Confirmatory diagnosis is usually only reached at postmortem examination. The relationship between the histologic inflammatory pattern, which depends on the stage of the disease, and the likelihood of [...] Read more.
Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) virus is the most common infectious cause of uveitis in cats. Confirmatory diagnosis is usually only reached at postmortem examination. The relationship between the histologic inflammatory pattern, which depends on the stage of the disease, and the likelihood of detection of the viral antigen and/or RNA has not been investigated. We hypothesized that viral detection rate by either immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization or RT-qPCR is dependent upon the predominant type of uveal inflammatory response (i.e., pyogranulomatous vs. plasmacytic). Thus, the aims of this study were to evaluate cases of FIP-induced uveitis, localize the viral antigen and RNA, and assess the relationship between the inflammatory pattern (macrophage- vs. plasma cell-rich) and the likelihood of detecting the FIP antigen and/or RNA. We evaluated 30 cats with FIP-induced uveitis. The viral antigen and/or RNA were detected within uveal macrophages in 11/30 cases, of which 8 tested positive by RT-qPCR. Correlation analysis determined a weak to moderate but significant negative correlation between the degree of plasmacytic uveal inflammation and the likelihood of detecting the FIP antigen and RNA. This study suggests that predominance of plasmacytic inflammation in cases of FIP uveitis reduces the odds of a confirmatory diagnosis through the viral detection methods available. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances on Feline Coronavirus Infection)
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14 pages, 2097 KiB  
Article
Retrospective Survival Analysis of Cats with Feline Infectious Peritonitis Treated with Polyprenyl Immunostimulant That Survived over 365 Days
by Petra Černá, Ashley Ayoob, Caroline Baylor, Erin Champagne, Sandra Hazanow, Robert E. Heidel, Kimberly Wirth, Alfred M. Legendre and Danièlle A. Gunn-Moore
Pathogens 2022, 11(8), 881; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pathogens11080881 - 04 Aug 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3487
Abstract
Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) remains a major diagnostic and treatment challenge in feline medicine. An ineffective immune response is an important component of FIP pathophysiology; hence treatment with an immune stimulant such as Polyprenyl Immunostimulant™ (PI), which enhances cell-mediated immunity by upregulating the [...] Read more.
Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) remains a major diagnostic and treatment challenge in feline medicine. An ineffective immune response is an important component of FIP pathophysiology; hence treatment with an immune stimulant such as Polyprenyl Immunostimulant™ (PI), which enhances cell-mediated immunity by upregulating the innate immune response via Toll-like receptors, is a rational approach. Records of cats with FIP treated with PI orally for over 365 days were retrospectively studied. Of these cats (n = 174), records were obtained for n = 103 cats with appropriate clinical signs and clinical pathology. Of these, n = 29 had FIP confirmed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) or reverse transcription polymerase-chain-reaction (RT-PCR). Most of the cats (25/29; 86%) had non-effusive FIP, and only 4/29 cats (14%) had effusive FIP. The mean survival time (MST) was 2927 days (eight years); with 55% of the cats (16/29) still being alive at the time data collection, and 45% (13/29) having died. A persistently low hematocrit plus low albumin:globulin (A:G) ratio, despite treatment, was a negative prognostic indicator. It took a mean of ~182 days and ~375 days, respectively, for anemia and low A:G ratio to resolve in the cats that presented with these laboratory changes. This study shows that PI is beneficial in the treatment of FIP, and more studies are needed to establish the best protocols of use. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances on Feline Coronavirus Infection)
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15 pages, 2692 KiB  
Article
Concordance between Histology, Immunohistochemistry, and RT-PCR in the Diagnosis of Feline Infectious Peritonitis
by Angelica Stranieri, Donatella Scavone, Saverio Paltrinieri, Alessia Giordano, Federico Bonsembiante, Silvia Ferro, Maria Elena Gelain, Sara Meazzi and Stefania Lauzi
Pathogens 2020, 9(10), 852; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pathogens9100852 - 18 Oct 2020
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 5461
Abstract
Histology, immunohistochemistry (IHC), and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) have been used to diagnose feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), but no information regarding the comparison of their diagnostic performances on the same organ is available. The aims of this study were to determine [...] Read more.
Histology, immunohistochemistry (IHC), and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) have been used to diagnose feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), but no information regarding the comparison of their diagnostic performances on the same organ is available. The aims of this study were to determine the concordance among these tests and to evaluate which combination of tests and organs can be used in vivo. Histology, IHC, and nested RT-PCR (RT-nPCR) for feline coronavirus (FCoV) were performed on spleen, liver, mesenteric lymph node, kidney, large and small intestine, and lung from 14 FIP and 12 non-FIP cats. Sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, likelihood ratios, and concordance were calculated. IHC and RT-nPCR had the highest concordance in lung and liver, histology and IHC in the other organs. The sensitivity of histology, IHC, and RT-nPCR on the different organs ranged from 41.7 to 76.9%, 46.2 to 76.9%, and 64.3 to 85.7%, respectively, and their specificity ranged from 83.3 to 100.0%, 100% and 83.3 to 100.0%. Therefore, IHC is recommended when histology is consistent with FIP. If RT-nPCR is performed as the first diagnostic approach, results should always be confirmed with IHC. Lung or liver provide accurate information regardless of the method, while IHC is preferred to RT-nPCR to confirm FIP in the kidney or intestine. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances on Feline Coronavirus Infection)
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Review

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17 pages, 817 KiB  
Review
Feline Coronavirus Antivirals: A Review
by Manon Delaplace, Hélène Huet, Adèle Gambino and Sophie Le Poder
Pathogens 2021, 10(9), 1150; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pathogens10091150 - 07 Sep 2021
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 7811
Abstract
Feline coronaviruses (FCoV) are common viral pathogens of cats. They usually induce asymptomatic infections but some FCoV strains, named Feline Infectious Peritonitis Viruses (FIPV) lead to a systematic fatal disease, the feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). While no treatments are approved as of yet, [...] Read more.
Feline coronaviruses (FCoV) are common viral pathogens of cats. They usually induce asymptomatic infections but some FCoV strains, named Feline Infectious Peritonitis Viruses (FIPV) lead to a systematic fatal disease, the feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). While no treatments are approved as of yet, numerous studies have been explored with the hope to develop therapeutic compounds. In recent years, two novel molecules (GS-441524 and GC376) have raised hopes given the encouraging results, but some concerns about the use of these molecules persist, such as the fear of the emergence of viral escape mutants or the difficult tissue distribution of these antivirals in certain affected organs. This review will summarize current findings and leads in the development of antiviral therapy against FCoV both in vitro and in vivo, with the description of their mechanisms of action when known. It highlights the molecules, which could have a broader effect on different coronaviruses. In the context of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the development of antivirals is an urgent need and FIP could be a valuable model to help this research area. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances on Feline Coronavirus Infection)
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