Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV)
Toxoplasmosis (Feline)
West Nile Virus

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) was discovered in 1987 by a group of researchers at the University of California at Davis who reported an unknown virus in cats exhibiting an AIDS-like disease.

When FIV surfaced, many people wondered whether cats could spread the virus to humans. To date, researchers believe the virus is exclusive to cats and does not affect other species.

Much like cats infected with the feline leukemia virus, FIV patients usually are chronically ill. Signs include infections of the mouth, teeth, and gums; chronic upper respiratory infections; intestinal infections; swollen lymph nodes; fever; and low white blood cell counts.

Unlike feline leukemia virus which can be transmitted from one cat to another from salivary contamination of food and water bowls and from social grooming practices, the FIV virus seems to be transmitted mainly by cat bites.

Studies have shown that high-risk cats are free-roaming males of mixed parentage over six years of age. Free-roaming males are the most territorial and engage in the most fighting behavior. Infected males outnumber infected females by three to one in the U.S. and Canada. Indoor cats are not at high risk of contracting FIV.

FIV has been found in every country where researchers have looked for it. However, the number of cats with FIV infection is not rising at an explosive rate and researchers believe that the infection rate among cats has reached a stable plateau.

Unfortunately at this time, there is no cure for cats that are infected with the FIV virus. Once a cat is infected, the infection persists for life. However, the patient usually responds for periods of time to supportive care.

Veterinarians can easily and accurately test for FIV. A vaccine is now available to protect against FIV infection. It is controversial because once a cat is vaccinated, it will test positive.

The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) cares about you and your pet’s health and provides this information to help you understand the illnesses that affect your pet. Your veterinarian is a member of AAHA which is well-known among veterinarians for it standards for pet health care.

Toxoplasmosis, a disease caused by a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii, is found in most warm-blooded animals including pets, livestock, and people.  Immunodeficient individuals and pregnant  mothers and their unborn babies are at the greatest risk of infection.

Infected cats can excrete oocysts in their feces for up to two weeks.  Exposure likely occurs when cats ingest infected mice, birds, rodents, or uncooked meats.  Most cats with toxoplasmosis exhibit no signs, although there have been cases associating toxoplasmosis with pneumonia, liver damage, encephalitis, and vision loss.  People are most commonly infected by eating infectious oocysts in undercooked meat, especially pork, or oocyst-contaminated soil on unwashed, uncooked vegetables.

Help your kitty avoid infection by keeping her indoors and away from rodents and birds, and feed her only processed, commercial food.  Individuals should avoid eating undercooked meat (it should be cooked to an inner temperature of 160°F), thoroughly wash produce, and wear gloves when gardening or handling raw meat.  Immunodeficient individuals and pregnant women should avoid changing the litter box or use rubber gloves when doing so.  Change litter daily and dispose of in a sealed plastic bag.

West Nile Virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne virus commonly found in Africa, West Asia and the Middle East.  The virus was first detected in the United States in the fall of 1999 in New York City.  Since then it has caused clinical disease in humans, horses and some species of birds.

Healthy dogs and cats do not get sick from WNV, even if bitten by an infected mosquito.  As you may know, there was one case documented in the popular press of a dog succumbing to WNV in Illinois in 2002.  It is important to note that this particular animal was immuno-compromised and thus was susceptible to infection from many organisms, not just WNV, that don’t normally cause disease in dogs.

Dogs and cats can certainly be bitten by an infected mosquito and have a positive titer to WNV when tested.  But a positive titer is evidence of exposure, not clinical disease.  Information recently presented at the 2003 AVMA meeting in Denver, Colorado, indicated that even if a dog is bitten by an infected mosquito, the virus does not replicate to sufficient numbers within the bloodstream to transmit the virus to another mosquito, much less cause clinical disease in a normal, healthy dog.

WNV poses no threat to your dog or cat.  A much more dangerous disease transmitted by mosquitoes is Heartworm Disease. 

More information on WNV can be found at www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile.