Survival estimates and outcome predictors for shelter cats with feline panleukopenia virus infection.

OBJECTIVE To determine survival estimates and outcome predictors for shelter cats with feline panleukopenia virus (FPV) infection. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. ANIMALS 177 shelter cats with FPV infection.

Anaplasma, Ehrlichia and Rickettsia species infections in cats: European guidelines from the ABCD on prevention and management.

Anaplasma species, Ehrlichia species and Rickettsia species are vector-borne pathogens infecting a wide variety of mammals, but causing disease in very few of them. Infection in cats: Anaplasma phagocytophilum is the most important feline pathogen among these rickettsial organisms, and coinfections are possible. Little information is available on the pathogenesis of these agents in cats.

Hepatozoonosis in cats: ABCD guidelines on prevention and management.

Overview: Hepatozoonosis of domestic cats has been reported in several countries, mainly as a subclinical infection.

Disease Agent: Infection has been described mostly in areas where canine infection is present and, in recent years, Hepatozoon felis has been identified as a distinct species by molecular techniques. The vector for feline hepatozoonosis remains unknown and the pathogenesis has not been elucidated.

Cytauxzoonosis in cats: ABCD guidelines on prevention and management.

Overview: Cytauxzoon species are apicomplexan haemoparasites, which may cause severe disease in domestic cats, as well as lions and tigers. For many years, cytauxzoonosis in domestic cats was only reported in North and South America, but in recent years the infection has also been seen in Europe (Spain, France and Italy).

Infection: Cytauxzoon felis is the main species; it occurs as numerous different strains or genotypes and is transmitted via ticks.

Lungworm disease in cats: ABCD guidelines on prevention and management.

Overview: Cardiopulmonary nematodes are emerging parasites of cats in Europe. A number of helminth parasites may be involved. The most prevalent lungworm in domestic cats is Aelurostrongylus abstrusus.

Streptococcal infections in cats: ABCD guidelines on prevention and management.

Overview: Streptococcus canis is most prevalent in cats, but recently S equi subsp zooepidemicus has been recognised as an emerging feline pathogen.

S Canis Infection: S canis is considered part of the commensal mucosal microflora of the oral cavity, upper respiratory tract, genital organs and perianal region in cats. The prevalence of infection is higher in cats housed in groups; and, for example, there may be a high rate of vaginal carriage in young queens in breeding catteries.

West Nile virus infection in cats: ABCD guidelines on prevention and management.

Overview: West Nile virus (WNV) is a zoonotic mosquito-borne virus with a broad host range that infects mainly birds and mosquitos, but also mammals (including humans), reptiles, amphibians and ticks. It is maintained in a bird-mosquito-bird transmission cycle. The most important vectors are bird-feeding mosquitos of the Culex genus; maintenance and amplification mainly involve passerine birds.

Borna disease virus infection in cats: ABCD guidelines on prevention and management.

Overview: Borna disease virus (BDV) has a broad host range, affecting primarily horses and sheep, but also cattle, ostriches, cats and dogs. In cats, BDV may cause a non-suppurative meningoencephalomyelitis ('staggering disease').

Infection: The mode of transmission is not completely elucidated.

Feline injection-site sarcoma: ABCD guidelines on prevention and management.

Overview: In cats, the most serious of adverse effects following vaccination is the occurrence of invasive sarcomas (mostly fibrosarcomas): so-called 'feline injection-site sarcomas' (FISSs). These develop at sites of previous vaccination or injection. They have characteristics that are distinct from those of fibrosarcomas in other areas and behave more aggressively.

Disinfectant choices in veterinary practices, shelters and households: ABCD guidelines on safe and effective disinfection for feline environments.

Overview: Regardless of whether a pathogen is viral, bacterial, parasitic, fungal or an emerging unknown, the mainstay of infectious disease control is hygiene, and the cornerstone of good hygiene is effective disinfection.

Challenges And Current Choices: Certain pathogens present a challenge to kill effectively: parvovirus, protozoal oocysts, mycobacteria, bacterial spores and prions resist most disinfectants but can be eliminated through heat, especially steam, which will kill protozoal oocysts. Heat is the safest and most effective disinfectant, but cannot be universally applied.

Blood transfusion in cats: ABCD guidelines for minimising risks of infectious iatrogenic complications.

Overview: The availability of blood components has increased the number of indications for transfusing cats, and fresh whole blood is readily accessible to clinicians because it can be taken from in-house donor cats or 'volunteer' feline blood donors. A certain amount of risk remains to the recipient cat, as immediate or delayed adverse reactions can occur during or after transfusion, related to immunemediated mechanisms. This article, however, focuses on adverse events caused by infectious agents, which may originate either from contamination of blood following incorrect collection, storage or transfusion, or from transfusion of contaminated blood obtained from an infected donor.

Matrix vaccination guidelines: 2015 ABCD recommendations for indoor/outdoor cats, rescue shelter cats and breeding catteries.

In 2013, the ABCD published 'Matrix vaccination guidelines: ABCD recommendations for indoor/outdoor cats, rescue shelter cats and breeding catteries' in a Special Issue of the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery (Volume 15, Issue 7, pages 540-544). The ABCD's vaccination recommendations were presented in tabulated form, taking into account that there is no universal vaccination protocol for all cats. To support the veterinarian's decision making, recommendations for four lifestyles were made: for cats with outdoors access, cats kept solely indoors, rescue shelter cats and cats in breeding catteries.

Something old, something new: Update of the 2009 and 2013 ABCD guidelines on prevention and management of feline infectious diseases.

The ABCD has published 34 guidelines in two Special Issues of the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery (JFMS): the first in July 2009 (Volume 11, Issue 7, pages 527-620) and the second in July 2013 (Volume 15, Issue 7, pages 528-652). The present article contains updates and new information on 18 of these (17 disease guidelines and one special article 'Prevention of infectious diseases in cat shelters'). For detailed information, readers are referred to the guidelines published in the above-mentioned JFMS Special Issues.

Giardiasis in cats: ABCD guidelines on prevention and management.

Overview: Giardia is a protozoan parasite that infects the small intestine of cats and can cause diarrhoea. The biotypes that affect cats do not appear to infect humans. Infection is most common in young cats, particularly from multicat backgrounds.

Tritrichomoniasis in cats: ABCD guidelines on prevention and management.

Overview: Tritrichomonas foetus is a protozoan organism that is specific to cats and can cause large bowel diarrhoea. It is distinct from other Tritrichomonas species and not considered to be zoonotic. Infection is most common in young cats from multicat households, particularly pedigree breeding catteries.

Babesiosis in cats: ABCD guidelines on prevention and management.

Overview: Babesiosis is a tick-borne protozoan disease caused by parasites of the genus Babesia that belong to the Piroplasmida. The disease is named after the Romanian bacteriologist Victor Babeş. Babesiosis is also known as piroplasmosis (from Latin pirum, meaning 'pear', and plasma, 'image, formation').

Leishmaniosis in cats: ABCD guidelines on prevention and management.

Overview: Leishmania infection is less known in cats than in dogs and humans; felids were traditionally considered a resistant species, and canids as the main reservoir. Only sporadic cases of feline disease have been reported worldwide, mainly caused by L infantum. Epidemiological investigations have confirmed, however, that feline infections are not rare and that disease occurrence might be underestimated in endemic areas.

Toxoplasma gondii infection in cats: ABCD guidelines on prevention and management.

Overview: Toxoplasma gondii infection is common in cats, but the clinical disease is rare. Up to 50% of cats, especially free-roaming ones, have antibodies indicating infection and the presence of cystic stages.

Disease Signs: Clinical signs only appear in few cats when they become immunosuppressed - in these situations cystic stages can be reactivated.

Rare opportunistic mycoses in cats: phaeohyphomycosis and hyalohyphomycosis: ABCD guidelines on prevention and management.

Overview: Phaeohyphomycoses and hyalohyphomycoses are rare opportunistic infections acquired from the environment. More cases have been reported in recent years in humans and cats.

Disease Signs: Single or multiple nodules or ulcerated plaques (which may be pigmented) in the skin are the typical lesions.

Rare systemic mycoses in cats: blastomycosis, histoplasmosis and coccidioidomycosis: ABCD guidelines on prevention and management.

Overview: Rare fungal infections, including those hitherto not reported in Europe, may occur sporadically in non-endemic areas, or imported cases may be seen.

Infections: Blastomycosis is mainly seen in North America; no cases have been reported in Europe. Histoplasmosis, which is endemic in the eastern US, Central and South America, has been diagnosed in Japan and Europe.

Sporotrichosis in cats: ABCD guidelines on prevention and management.

Overview: Sporotrichosis is an important subcutaneous fungal infection of humans and animals in some endemic tropical and subtropical areas. Among domestic species, cats are the most frequently infected.

Infection: The primary mode of transmission is traumatic inoculation of fungal conidia from plants and soil.

Cryptococcosis in cats: ABCD guidelines on prevention and management.

Overview: Cryptococcosis is worldwide the most common systemic fungal disease in cats; it is caused by the Cryptococcus neoformans- Cryptococcus gattii species complex, which includes eight genotypes and some subtypes (strains) with varying geographical distribution, pathogenicity and antimicrobial susceptibility. Cats acquire the infection from a contaminated environment. The prognosis is favourable in most cases, provided a diagnosis is obtained sufficiently early and prolonged treatment is maintained.