Acute feline leukemia virus infection causes altered energy balance and growth inhibition in weanling cats

Article Abstract:

The process of severe weight loss caused by the feline leukemia virus (FeLV) in cats may begin before an immune response to the virus is seen in blood. Researchers inoculated eight of 16 newly-weaned cats with FeLV. The other eight became the control group. Cats exposed to FeLV took in less food and were less active than control cats. FeLV-infected cats lost 15% of their body weight compared with control group cats. Their growth rate was also lower. The progression of FeLV infection is similar to that of HIV infection. Both cause nausea, fatigue, and loss of appetite even before the antibodies against the virus appear in the blood. Appropriate nutritional therapies should be given to people or animals with known retroviral infection before the disease has a chance to progress.

Models, Causes of, HIV infection, HIV infections, Weight loss

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Early suppression of viremia by ZDV does not alter the spread of feline immunodeficiency virus infection in cats

Article Abstract:

Zidovudine (ZDV) therapy administered early can slow the course of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection, but does not block the infection of blood cells and tissues. Six eight-week-old cats were treated with ZDV 48 hours before injection with FIV, six more were inoculated with FIV but not treated with ZDV, and five cats served as controls. The number of CD4 lymphcytes and CD8 lymphocytes were higher among the ZDV treated cats than the nontreated cats. Afer 16 weeks, CD4 lymphocytes declined in both groups of infected cats, compared to the control group. CD8 lymphocytes in treated cats stayed at the level of the uninfected control cats for 48 weeks after treatment, suggesting that ZDV has a greater defense effect on CD8 cells than on CD4 cells.

Health aspects, Measurement, Prevention, Zidovudine, Feline immunodeficiency virus, Immunodeficiency, CD4 lymphocytes, CD8 lymphocytes

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FeLV envelope protein (gp70) variable region 5 causes alterations in calcium homeostasis and toxicity of neurons

Article Abstract:

Variable region 5 (VR5) of the envelope protein of feline leukemia virus (FeLV) appears to be toxic to nerve cells. FeLV occurs in several different strains and FeLV-C is more virulent than FeLV-A. Researchers tested the VR5 from both strains to assess their toxicity to neurons. VR5 from FeLV-C inhibited neuron growth whereas VR5 from FeLV-A was substantially less toxic. VR5 differs in these strains by four amino acids. FeLV causes a condition similar to AIDS in cats.

Analysis, Neurons, Neurotoxic agents

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