Seroprevalence of feline panleukopenia virus in domesticated cats in Maasai Mara, Kenya : a possible threat of transmission to wildlife?

Sammanfattning: Feline panleukopenia virus (FPV) is a highly contagious virus that can stay stable in the environment for a long period of time. The virus can infect both domesticated cats, wild felids, and other wild animals. It has the highest morbidity and mortality rate in new-born and young kittens. The virus leads to viremia and mostly affects the dividing cells in the body, i.e. bone marrow, lymphoid tissues, intestinal epithelium, cerebellum in young animals, retina, and embryonic and foetal cells. Common clinical signs of infection with FPV in adult cats are lethargy, vomiting and diarrhoea. In young or new-born kittens, neurological signs are common. Infection with FPV can vary in its severity, from subclinical to per acute with little to no clinical signs before a sudden death. This study was conducted in the Mara North Conservancy (MNC) within the nature reserve Maasai Mara in Kenya. Mara North Conservancy holds a large wildlife with lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, zebras, elephants and many more. This study aimed to investigate the sero-prevalence of FPV in domesticated cats in the area and to see if there would be a possibility of transmission of FPV between domesticated cats and wild animals. In total, 40 cats were sampled, 29 females and 11 males. 85% of the sampled cats had antibodies against FPV. There was a difference in the seroprevalence between genders, 93.1% of the females had antibodies against FPV and 63.6% of the males. The results of this study showed a high prevalence of FPV antibodies in domesticated cats within the Mara North Conservancy. Theoretically there is a risk of domesticated cats spreading FPV to wildlife in the area, but a combined study that would look at both domesticated cats and wild animals and if they share FPV antibodies with the same genome would be needed to make that conclusion.