Deteccao do virus da peritonite infecciosa felina (FIPV) por meio da PCR

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is usually a fatal disease of wild and domestic felines. The etiologic agent of FIP (FIPV, Feline Infectious Peritonitis Virus) is a coronavirus, an enveloped single-stranded RNA virus of the family Coronaviridae. This paper reports the standardization and application of a diagnostic test to FIP based on PCR targeted to FIPV S gene on either pleural or peritoneal effusion samples of 11 cats and one lioness, and serum samples of 10 cats with cavitary effusion. Only a cat’s pleural effusion out of the 22 samples tested was positive by PCR. Hypothesis related to clinical diagnosis, viral infection dynamics and intrinsic feature of the samples may explain the number of negative results. The PCR technique described here is an alternative to direct diagnosis of infectious peritonitis. It can elucidate the etiology and epidemiology of this disease when used in conjunction with serological and histopathological diagnosis, therefore allowing a better comprehension of transmission, viral dynamics and pathogeny, and the need for vaccines.