Veterinary Virology Clinical presentation Diagnosis Molecular characteristics Treatment Disease control Lilly – 8 week old beagle x spaniel Diagnostic tests Canine parvovirus ssDNA virus, 5000 nucleotides Non enveloped Discovered in late 1970s Replicates in rapidly dividing cells intestinal cells - enteritis lymphoid cells - panleukopaenia Treatment of canine parvovirus IVFT Antibiotics Analgesia Gastroprotectants Anti-emetics Prevention Vaccination Parvovirus Canine adenovirus 1+2 Distemper Parainfluenza virus (Leptospirosis) (Coronavirus) (Rabies) Isolation – strict biosecurity Bobby, 2 year old MN rabbit Myxomatosis Classic clinical signs • Swelling of eyelids with ocular discharge • Swellings around nose and base of ear • Swollen genitalia • Very lethargic and inappatent Virus characteristics Pox virus, ‘myxoma virus’ Enveloped, dsDNA, 162,000nt genome Avoids recognition by immune system - produce proteins that mimic host cell receptors and cytokines Discovered in 1896, Uruguay Benign infection in South American rabbits, but fatal disease in European rabbit Oryctalagus cuniculus Treatment and control • No known treatment. 95% die of infection within a few days • Vaccination • Every 6 months • Viral haemorrhagic disease virus Hill Farm, 60 head beef cattle, 400 sheep Foot and Mouth virus (FMDV) • Picornavirus • +ve ssRNA, non enveloped, 8.4Kbp genome • Transmitted by direct contact, fomites and aerosol • Replicates in epithelium at entry site before inducing viraemia • Does it kill all hosts? Control Cull Strict biosecurity Enforced movement bans / quarantine Vaccination? Litter of kittens, 6 weeks old ‘Cat Flu’ – FCV, FHV and chlamydophila Feline calicivirus [FCV] • ssRNA non enveloped virus • Numerous strains • Spread by oro/nasal secretions, direct or fomites • Can be acute or persistent • Variable clinical signs whilst shedding Stomatitis Feline herpesvirus [FHV] • dsDNA enveloped virus • Single strain • Acute initial infection 24wks, then establishes latency in up to 90% cases • Reactivation can occur after stress Treatment and control TLC Vaccination Antibiotics • FCV • FHV • Feline panleukopaenia virus • Chlamydophila • FeLV Decongestants Owner education is important Harris, ME 5yr old DSH Investigations Feline immunodeficiency virus [FIV] Feline immunodeficiency virus [FIV] Retrovirus, ssRNA, 9400 nt Identified in 1986 Transmitted by saliva-blood contact e.g. bites Initial viraemia, then only low levels of virus for x months before immunodeficiency develops No recovery from infection occurs but cases can survive a number of years (similar to HIV) 2-3% cats in UK have FIV