Coronavirus In Cats Fip

Scientists dont yet understand how the relatively benign coronavirus is turned into the fatal FIP.

Coronavirus in cats fip. Feline infectious peritonitis FIP is a viral disease of cats caused by certain strains of a virus called the feline coronavirus. Its effect in cats was demonstrated by Dr. Most cats in environments with more than six cats are infected with coronavirus but FIP is much less common.

Positive FECV antibody titers are indicative only of exposure to the virus and are not suggestive of the etiology of the current disease do not correlate with the risk of developing FIP and are not diagnostic for FIP. Hes been researching coronaviruses for more than 40 years. FIP is an uncommon fatal viral disease of cats caused by an immune response to infection with feline coronavirus FCoV.

In rare cases the coronavirus may mutate to a more virulent form which is able to weaken the cats immune system and spread. Most cats develop the feline coronavirus at some point in their lives but show little to no symptoms. Exposure to any strain of feline coronavirus will result in an immune response and the production of antibodies.

In most cases a coronavirus causes mild treatable symptoms respiratory andor gastroenteritis in cats. The etiologic agent the feline coronavirus FCoV occurs in two distinct pathotypes that can be distinguished by their biological behavior but not by their morphology. The coronavirus that causes FIP.

One theory why some cats develop FIP is that in these cats the virus undergoes mutation to a more virulent strain after the initial infection. As yet poorly understood changes in the virus can give rise to mutants that lead to the development of feline infectious peritonitis FIP. This type of coronavirus is different from the coronavirus that causes.

The Coronavirus that causes FIP is currently considered to be a mutant form of the enteric coronavirus. These are referred to as feline enteric coronavirus FeCV. What is feline infectious peritonitis.