1. The University of Jordan
School Of Agriculture
Special Training in Animal production (0602493 )
Panleukopenia virus and the latest methods of treatment
Prepared by : Tareq Albanna
Instructors : Dr. Rabie Irshaid

2. Panleukopenia virus and the latest methods of treatment
Introduction:
Feline panleukopenia virus (FPV) is the prototype parvovirus of carnivores. Currently, FPV
and the canine parvovirus (CPV) are regarded as a single taxonomic entity, but for the purposes
of these guidelines FPV refers to parvovirus in cats.A new parvovirus, very closely related to
FPV, was discovered in dogs in 1978. It was named canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV2) to
distinguish it from another parvovirus isolated from dogs in 1970, which is now called canine
minute virus. Feline panleukopenia virus is known also to infect other members of the Felidae,
as well as raccoons, mink and foxes. In dogs, FPV replication was seen only in some lymphoid
tissues such Feline panleukopenia virus (FPV) is a highly contagious viral infection that
primarily affects kittens but can also impact adult cats. This report provides an overview of the
origin and history of the virus, its mode of transmission, symptoms and side effects, methods
of detection and diagnosis, therapeutic approaches, and strategies for prevention.

3. Objectives:
1. Understand the origin and history of the virus.
2. Identify the types of animals targeted by the virus.
3. Explore the symptoms and side effects of the virus.
4. Discuss the methods used for checking and detecting the virus.
5. Examine the therapeutic methods and their latest advancements.
6. Investigate the prevention and avoidance strategies, including vaccines.

4. Content:
▪︎The type of virus and how it spreads:
Feline panleukopenia is a parvoviral infectious disease of kittens typically characterized by
depression, anorexia, high fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and consequent severe dehydration.
Adult cats are much less often affected. Diagnosis is usually based on clinical signs, severe
neutropenia and lymphopenia, and fecal viral antigen or PCR testing. Treatment includes
intensive fluid therapy, glucose and potassium supplementation, antimicrobial, anthelmintic,
and antiemetic therapy, and sometimes immunotherapy.
Infection Transmission occurs via the faecal-oral route. Indirect contact is the most common
route of infection, and FPV may be carried by fomites (shoes, clothing), which means indoor
cats are also at risk. Intrauterine virus transmission and infection of neonates can occur.
▪︎Animals targeted by the virus:
infects all fields as well as raccoons, mink and foxes. This pathogen may survive in the
environment for several months and is highly resistant to some disinfectants.
▪︎Symptoms of the virus and side effects:
Disease signs Cats of all ages may be affected by FPV, but kittens are most susceptible. Mortality rates
are high-over 90% in kittens. Signs of disease include diarrhoea, lymphopenia and neutropenia,
followed by thrombocytopenia and anaemia, immunosuppression (transient in adult cats), cerebellar
ataxia (in kittens only) and abortion.
It is a side effect due to the virus:
panleukopenia in Asia.10 Other viral pathogens that have been associated with gastroenteritis in cats
include feline enteric coronavirus (see the photo (1)).

5. FeLV, rotaviruses, caliciviruses, reoviruses, and astroviruses. Atorovirus-like agent has been associated
with a syndrome of diarrhea and protrusion of the nictating membranes in cats.!! Togavirus-like and
picornavirus-like particles have been identified in the feces of Australian cats, but their significance is
uncertain.12
Cats suspected to have feline panleukopenia should be placed in isolation. Supportive treatment is
similar to that recommended for CPV. Diagnosis is based on clinical signs along with the finding of
leukopenia on a complete blood count. Leukopenia is not always present and may occur with other
diseases such as salmonellosis. Severe panleukopenia may be associated with concurrent infection with
FeLV.10 In-house fecal enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for CPV are suitable for diagnosis of
feline panleukopenia, although false-negative results may occur, so a negative test result does not rule
out feline panleukopenia. Sensitivity in one study ranged from 50% to 80% depending on the kit used,
and specificity ranged from 94% to 100%. False-positive fecal antigen assay results after vaccination
with attenuated live viral vaccines appear to be uncommon but vary with the test used. PCR assays are
also available for detection of viral DNA in fecal and tissue specimens from affected cats. Cats with
panleukopenia that survive the first 5 days of treatment usually recover, although recovery is often more
prolonged than it is for dogs with parvoviral enteritis. In 244 cats with feline panleukopenia from
Europe, the survival rate was 51%. 12 Nonsurvivors had lower leukocyte and platelet counts than
survivors, and cats with white cell counts below 1000/μl were almost twice as likely to die than those
with white cell counts above 2500/pl. Only total leukopenia, and not lymphopenia, was correlated with
mortality. Hypoalbuminemia and hypokalemia also were associated
Infection of the pregnant queen may lead to abortion, stillbirths, fading kittens, or congenital defects
depending on the stage of gestation, with the latter resulting from in utero infection in late gestation.
These congenital defects may include cerebellar hypoplasia, exhibited by intention tremors and ataxia;
hydranencephaly, with abnormal behavior; or cardiomyopathy. Infection in the early neonatal period
can lead to similar defects.
Postnatal infection may lead to necrosis of intestinal epithelia and hematopoietic progenitor cells, the
classic panleukopenia syndrome, with vomiting, diarrhea, severe depression, and anorexia.
Endotoxemia or sepsis may occur secondarily. Peracute deaths may occur in some kittens.
Infection of pregnant queens may result in abortion, stillbirths, neonatal deaths, and fetal cerebellar
hypoplasia. These effects are the result of transplacental infection, leading to fetal death and resorption
in early pregnancy, and cerebellar hypoplasia, when infection occurs from the middle third of pregnancy
onwards. Diagnosis may be made on the basis of the clinical signs, histopathological findings, virus
isolation, and paired serum samples that demonstrate a rising antibody titre. There is no treatment for
kittens with cerebellar hypoplasia.
abnormal development of the cerebellum (cerebellar hypoplasia/atrophy syndrome). Affected kittens
are noticeably ataxic when they become ambulatory around 3 weeks of age (so-called spastic or wobbly
cat syndrome); they have a wide-based stance and move with exaggerated steps, tending to overshoot
the mark and to pause and oscillate about an intended goal.
▪︎Methods of checking and detecting the virus:
Feline panleukopenia can be diagnosed by virus isolation from blood or faeces in cultures of CrFK or
MYA-1 cells and by the demonstration of haemagglutination of erythrocytes. However, these methods
are now rarely used for routine diagnosis.

6. In practice, FPV antigen is detected in faeces using commercially available latex agglutination(pictures
2&3)
or immunochromatographic tests (picture 4).
These tests have an acceptable sensitivity and specificity when compared with reference methods."
Tests marketed for the detection of both FPV antigen and CPV-2 antigen may be used to diagnose FPV
in faeces [EBM grade I].
Diagnosis by electron microscopy has lost its importance due to more specific, rapid and automated
alternatives. Specialised laboratories offer PCR-based testing of whole blood or faeces. Whole blood is
recommended in cats without diarrhoea or when no faecal samples are available. The analytical
sensitivity of the antigen tests can be compromised by the presence of antibodies, which may bind to
viral epitopes and render them inaccessible to the monoclonal antibodies in the test kit. This may lead
to false negative results in samples from cats recently infected with FPV.
Antibodies to FPV can be demonstrated by ELISA or indirect immunofluorescence, but these tests are
of limited diagnostic value as they do not differentiate between infection- and vaccination-induced
antibodies. The presence of antibodies is taken as proof of protection against panleukopenia under field
conditions.
▪︎Therapeutic methods and their latest:
Supportive care, prompt IV fluid treatment, and antibiotics are the primary
treatments.Successful treatment of acute cases of feline panleukopenia requires vigorous fluid
therapy and supportive nursing care in the isolation unit, Electrolyte disturbances (eg,
hypokalemia), hypoglycemia, hypoproteinemia, anemia, and opportunistic secondary
infections often develop in severely affected cats. Anticipation of these possibilities, close
monitoring, and prompt intervention can improve outcome.

7. IV fluid replacement and maintenance with a balanced isotonic crystalloid solution (eg, lactated
Ringer's solution with calculated potassium supplementation) is the foundation of therapy. B
vitamins should be added to the infusion, together with 5% glucose if hypoglycemia is
suspected or proved. In addition to crystalloid infusion, transfusion of fresh-frozen plasma
helps support plasma oncotic pressure and provides clotting factors to severely ill,
hypoproteinemic kittens. It also provides some anti-FPV antibodies. Whole blood is preferable
for the occasional cat that is severely anemic.
Parenteral, broad spectrum antibiotic therapy is indicated; however, nephrotoxic drugs (eg,
aminoglycosides) must be avoided until dehydration has been fully corrected. For example, IV
ampicillin (20 mg/kg, every 6-8 hours) could be given in combination with gentamicin (6-8
mg/kg, every 24 hours for 3-5 days), starting once rehydration has been achieved. Because of
the nephrotoxic potential of the gentamicin, urinary protein dipstick findings, sequential urine
sediments, and serum SDMA or creatinine should be monitored. There are single antibiotic
agents, albeit more expensive, that are effective against the anaerobes and gram-negative
aerobes that are the most important bacteria in feline panleukopenia. These include third-
generation cephalosporins (eg, ceftiofur, cefotaxime) and extended penicillins (eg,
piperacillin).
Intestinal parasitism commonly complicates feline panleukopenia, especially in shelter
environments, so use of anthelmintics (eg, fenbendazole, 50 mg/kg, PO, every 24 hours for 2-
5 days) is an important consideration and can be started once vomiting is controlled.
Antiemetic therapy (eg, maropitant, ondansetron or metoclopramide) usually provides some
relief and allows earlier enteral feeding of soft, easily digested food. Maropitant is the first-
choice anti-emetic. In severely affected cats it can be combined with ondansetron. Feeding
(little and often) should be commenced as early as possible, even in the face of mild,
Intermittent.persistent vomiting ,Feeding promotes healing of the GI mucosa and re-
establishment of an effective mucosal barrier. Cats withsevere vomiting should not be fed until
the vomiting is better controlled. Parenteral nutrition is indicated only for the most severely
affected cases, and its use should not delay vigorous attempts to start enteral feeding.
Recombinant feline Interferon omega (rFelFN; 1 MU/kg, SC, every 24 hours for 5 consecutive
days; and three separate 5-day treatments must be performed at day 0, day 14, and day 60)
should be considered for use in the treatment of feline panleukopenia. Although rFeIFN is not
approved by the FDA for this purpose and has not been proven effective in feline
panleukopenia, it is approved and effective in the treatment of canine parvoviral enteritis.
Passive immunotherapy using immune serum from solidly immune cats, or using a commercial
product raised in horses, is widely practiced in some countries.

8. ▪︎Method of prevention and avoidance of disease and types of virus
vaccine:
There are excellent live inactivated and modified virus vaccines that provide strong and long-
term immunity to prevent leukopenia in cats. There are three approved companies in the
Kingdom of Jordan:
1.MSD animal health( Nobivac® Tricat Trio)
2.Zoetis pet care(FELOCELL® 3)
3.biocan (BIOFEL PCHR EMULSION FOR INJECTION)

9. Live vaccines should not be given to cats that are pregnant, immunosuppressed, or sick or to
kittens <4 weeks old. Most authorities recommend that kittens receive two or three modified-
live vaccine doses 5C, 3-4 weeks apart. The first vaccination is usually given at 6-9 weeks of
age. The last dose of the Initial vaccination series should not be administered before the kitten
is 16 weeks old, to allow time for interfering maternal antibodies to wane so they do not
inactivate the modified-live vaccine virus. A followup vaccine dose at 26-52 weeks is a new
recommendation, because some kittens have residual interfering antibodies, even at 16 weeks,
sufficient to prevent successful immunization. Exposure to virus should be avoided until 1
week after the initial vaccination series has been completed.
Adult cats should be revaccinated against FPV triennially or less frequently thereafter, although
some manufacturers in some countries continue to recommend annual revaccination. Titer
testing kits are commercially available to detect when individual cats are immune to feline
panleukopenia. These can be used as an alternative to repeated, scheduled vaccinations, for
clients who prefer that option.Cats suspected to have feline panleukopenia should be placed in
isolation. Supportive treatment is similar to that recommended for CPV If an outbreak occurs,
adequate disinfection will be critical because of the resistant nature of the virus. Disinfectants
must incorporate an oxidizing agent as an active ingredient to be effective. Disinfection of soil
is not practical, and objects with porous surfaces, such as carpeting, should be steam cleaned
or removed from the environment.And taking into account that the virus can survive outside
the body of the infected animal for up to 6 weeks.
Conclusions:
Feline panleukopenia virus is a significant infectious disease that primarily affects kittens,
causing high mortality rates. Early detection, supportive care, and preventive measures,
including vaccination and proper disinfection, are crucial for controlling the spread of the virus.
Continued research and advancements in diagnostic techniques, treatment options, and
preventive strategies will contribute to the effective management of feline panleukopenia.

10. References:
1. Richard A. Squires (2020),Feline Panleukopenia(Feline Infectious Enteritis, Feline
Parvoviral Enteritis) by MSD MANUAL Veterinary Manual
2.Fenner's Veterinary Virology (Fifth Edition)2017,(Chapter 12 - Parvoviridae)
3.James F. Evermann, Melissa A. Kennedy(2011),Small Animal Pediatrics(Chapter
16 - Viral Infections)
4.Jane E. Sykes BVSc(Hons), PhD, DACVIM(2009),Small Animal Critical Care
Medicine(Chapter 111 - Viral Infections)
5.Jane E. Sykes(2014),Canine and Feline Infectious Diseases(Chapter 19 - Feline
Panleukopenia Virus Infection and Other Viral Enteritides)
6.Uwe Truyen, Diane Addie, Sándor Belák, Corine Boucraut-Baralon, Herman
Egberink, Tadeusz Frymus, Tim Gruffydd-Jones, Katrin Hartmann, Margaret J Hosie,
Albert Lloret, Hans Lutz, Fulvio Marsilio, Maria Grazia Pennisi, Alan D Radford,
Etienne Thiry and Marian C Horzinek
(2009),FELINE PANLEUKOPENIA
ABCD guidelines on prevention and management
7.Canine and Feline Gastroenterology(2013), Pages 651-728
(Chapter 57 - Small Intestine)
8.Robert G. Sherding(2006),Saunders Manual of Small Animal Practice (Third
Edition)Pages 158-167(Chapter 14 - Intestinal Viruses)