Hemorrhagic RHD-like calicivirus hits USA cats

[Guest guest]

URGENT

 

Hi All,

 

Has anyone read the Promed post on the Cat calicivirus issue?

I emailed them a couple of days ago about the virus and their

posting (see below) includes this statement by a Promed Moderator.

 

[it is entirely possible that this Calicivirus outbreak is in some way

related to the virulent, hemorrhagic calcivirus so profoundly affecting the

rabbit population in Australia. Currently, there appear to have been at

least 30 cats affected in this outbreak. However, the investigation is on

going, and those numbers may change. - Mod.TG]

 

I know the market for rabbit meat

(including for pets?) is much greater in the USA than in Australia where

rabbit

meat is a novelty item. We can get cheap mutton, beef and sadly, kangaroo

meat here for pets. I dont see any rabbit meat sold here raw for pets.

In the USA, RHD outbreaks like those in the Petting Zoo in NY may have come

from feeding RHD contaminated rabbit meat to carnivores who then exuded RHD

to kill the rabbits there.

 

Is it my imagination or are the symptoms killing the poor USA cats mentioned

below extremely

similar to the manner in which RHD virus kills rabbits? Any info or advice

much appreciated.

 

Kind regards,

 

Marguerite (see below)

 

To promed-ahead-edr

Cc (none)

From ProMED-mail <promed (add to addressbook)

Date 05:53 Jul 15

Subject PRO/AH/EDR> Calicivirus, hemorrhagic, feline - USA (CA)

 

CALICIVIRUS, HEMORRHAGIC, FELINE - USA (CALIFORNIA)

***********************************************

A ProMED-mail post

<http://www.promedmail.org>

ProMED-mail, a program of the

International Society for Infectious Diseases

<http://www.isid.org>

 

[ProMED-mail regrets the delay in posting this report. - Mod.MPP

 

Thu, 11 Jul 2002 10:38:14 -0700

Janet Foley <jefoley

hemorrhagic calicivirus outbreak

 

 

Focal outbreak of an unusually virulent strain of feline calicivirus

---------------------------

We are investigating an outbreak of hemorrhagic calicivirus in cats in Los

Angeles. The virus appears to be a variant of the common feline

calicivirus which causes upper respiratory tract infection (URI) in many

cats, but cats in the current outbreak suffer extraordinarily high

mortality and morbidity.

 

Cats present variably, (and numbers given here are preliminary), with

approximately 50 percent having facial and paw edema (often markedly so),

90 percent febrile (as high as 106 F), 50 percent with classical signs of

URI (ocular and nasal discharge, conjunctivitis, and vesicular or

ulcerative stomatitis), 20 percent with icterus, and 30-40 percent with

hemorrhage (from nose, feces, et al.).

 

Necropsy findings also are variable, including lung consolidation and

pneumonia (80 percent), hepatomegaly (50 percent), pancreatitis (10

percent), and pericarditis (10 percent).

 

We are working with a case definition assigning cats as suspect or probable

cases. Edema and hemorrhagic discharge occur in probable cases, regardless

of concurrent signs of URI. Cats with unusually severe URI, icterus,

pericarditis, or other associated problems but historical exposure are

regarded as suspect. Since 7/2/02 when we first were contacted with the

unusual clinical description, we have observed 30 probable cases in 3

veterinary practices and one foster care network in west L.A. 30-50 percent

of cases died or were euthanized.

 

All cases appear to have originated from a single source and spread via

traffic within and between hospitals and hospital clients. In two cases,

well cats in homes have acquired the infection and died after sick cats

returned home. As a precaution, all area animal shelters have been alerted

to this disease; however, no cases from animal shelters have been reported.

There was an unfortunate delay in informing local public health officials

who had earlier informed local veterinarians to contact them if there were

suspect zoonotic or potentially biological warfare agent

outbreaks (which this fortunately is NOT).

 

The incubation period of feline calicivirus (including this hemorrhagic

strain) is between 1-5 days. Cats of all ages, including fully vaccinated

cats, have been affected, although some affected cats have been

immunosuppressed (with neoplasia and chemotherapy). No other species is

known to be affected by this strain of calicivirus. Based on several

previous outbreaks, the only good news is that the virus is so virulent

and infected cats die so quickly that it appears difficult for an epidemic

to propagate and the incidence rapidly declines within a few weeks.

 

Based on previous cases, recovering cats may shed infectious virus for

weeks after infection. Infected cats become viremic (as do cats with

calicivirus URI). Diagnosis is based on culture of virus from blood,

spleen, lungs, nasal or ocular discharge, clinical signs, and pathology.

 

The virulence determinants associated with this virus are not known but the

pathogenesis involves vasculitis. Further investigation of the pathogenesis

of disease is being pursued. All isolates of the virus will be sequenced to

confirm that all are related to the virus from the index case and an

epidemiological/statistical summary will be completed as soon as possible.

 

A summary of the clinical disease was published previously: Pedersen,

Elliot, Glasgow, Poland, and Keel. 2000. An isolated epizootic of

hemorrhagic-like fever in cats caused by a novel and highly virulent strain

of feline calicivirus. Vet Micro 73:281-300.

--

Janet Foley, DVM, PhD, Maddie Shelter Medicine Program,

School of Veterinary Medicine

University of California, Davis 95616

 

Kate Hurley, DVM

Resident, Maddie Shelter Medicine Program

 

[it is entirely possible that this Calicivirus outbreak is in some way

related to the virulent, hemorrhagic calcivirus so profoundly affecting the

rabbit population in Australia. Currently, there appear to have been at

least 30 cats affected in this outbreak. However, the investigation is on

going, and those numbers may change. - Mod.TG]

 

[Our thanks to Drs. Foley and Hurley for sharing this investigation with

ProMED-mail, and to other rs who also brought this to our

attention. There was mention of a another outbreak in Washington State, but

we have been unable to find information on this second outbreak. - Mod. MPP]

 

[see also:

2001

-----

Calicivirus, school outbreak - Canada (Alberta) 20010517.0965

Gastroenteritis, calicivirus? - USA (Wyoming) 20010317.0546

1996

--

Rabbit calicivirus vaccine: RFI 19960924.1627

Rabbit calicivirus distribution (5) 19960924.1624

Rabbit calicivirus & human health (2) 19960922.1616

Rabbit calicivirus & human health 19960920.1611

Rabbit calicivirus distribution (4) 19960919.1606

Rabbit calicivirus distribution (3) 19960126.0185

Rabbit calicivirus distribution (2) 19960124.0171

Rabbit calicivirus distribution 19960112.0075]

.................mpp/tg/mp

 

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