Virus kills thousands of cats in Cyprus

Plague - Virus kills thousands of cats in Cyprus

According to analyses, thousands of cats have died in Cyprus since the beginning of the year due to an animal coronavirus that has become more aggressive. The UK also reported its first imported case in October - is there also a threat of the modified pathogen spreading in cats in Germany? "At present, no outbreaks of disease have been described in Germany that would lead us to suspect this new virus variant," said Katrin Hartmann from the Small Animal Clinic at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) Munich. However, the risk is given by the import of infected cats. "The current cases in England are attributed to the import of cats from Cyprus." Cyprus has a large population of stray cats, which, like southern European street dogs, are often brought to other parts of Europe and around the world.

Mostly harmless disease mutates dangerously

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a fatal disease in cats if left untreated, as Hartmann explains. It is a disease that has long been known worldwide and is caused by the feline coronavirus (FCoV). This pathogen is also found in Germany, but usually causes no symptoms or at most mild diarrhea. In rare cases, the harmless virus changes spontaneously and the cat becomes ill with FIP. According to the veterinary specialist, initial unspecific symptoms such as loss of appetite and fever are then followed by effusions in the abdominal and thoracic cavities (fluid accumulation) and sometimes also neurological symptoms and eye problems.

However, a new virus, known as feline coronavirus-23 (FCoV-23), has now been detected in Cyprus and the UK. It is a mixture of the original FCoV and the canine coronavirus CCoV, a research team led by Christine Tait-Burkard from the University of Edinburgh recently reported in a study that has not yet been independently verified. The virus is probably transmitted directly from cat to cat, spreads quickly and infects cats of all ages. Above all, cats with the new variant are much more likely to develop feline infectious peritonitis, as Hartmann said.

Early detection is important for recovery

In Cyprus, the use of the human coronavirus drug molnupiravir for the treatment of cats with FIP was approved in August. The antiviral agent GS-441524 has also proven to be very effective in studies, explained Hartmann. "However, this drug has not yet been approved in Germany and is not legally available here." Only its use in studies has been possible so far - one is currently underway at the LMU Small Animal Clinic, for example. It is important to start treatment early in order to be able to cure the sick cat.

Preprint study from November on the new pathogen

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1. The feline coronavirus is not only present in Cyprus but also in other parts of Europe, including Germany, where it often causes no symptoms or only mild diarrhea in cats.
2. The United Kingdom, like Germany, is also monitoring the situation closely, as the first imported case of the more aggressive cat coronavirus was reported in England in October.
3. Great Britain is particularly concerned about the possibility of the new virus variant spreading among its feline population, as many of the reported cases in England are linked to the import of cats from Cyprus.
4. Germany, like other European countries, has a significant population of stray cats, which often travel between countries, raising concerns about the spread of the new feline coronavirus variant.
5. Hartmann from LMU Munich's Small Animal Clinic emphasized the importance of early detection and treatment for cats diagnosed with feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), which can be fatal if left untreated.
6. According to Hartmann, there are currently no active outbreaks in Germany of the new feline coronavirus variant, but the risk is still present due to the import of infected cats from other countries.
7. Despite the potential threat, Hartmann noted that the use of human coronavirus drugs, such as molnupiravir, has shown promise in treating FIP in cats, particularly when administered early in the illness.
8. The new feline coronavirus variant, known as feline coronavirus-23 (FCoV-23), is a mixture of the original FCoV and the canine coronavirus CCoV, and it has been reported in both Cyprus and the UK.

Source: www.stern.de