Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ncar!ames!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!ucla-cs!merrill@bucasb.BU.EDU From: merrill@bucasb.BU.EDU (John Merrill) Newsgroups: sci.med.aids Subject: Re: Feline Aids Message-ID: <25586@shemp.CS.UCLA.EDU> Date: 10 Jul 89 17:57:56 GMT Sender: news@CS.UCLA.EDU Lines: 50 Approved: aids@cs.ucla.edu Archive-number: 1079 GJP> Gjoseph Peck NF> From: nef@calmasd.Prime.COM (Nancy Fox) NF> A friend of mine recently had her cat diagnosed NF> with feline AIDS. I've not heard of this. Does NF> anyone know if this is a virus related to the NF> human AIDS virus? Do you know how it is transmitted? NF> Is it possible to transmit the virus from human to NF> cat or vice versa? Does it transmit easily? GJP> GJP> Bottom line - from *MY* end - is that it was just a ruse by the GJP> Veterinarian to cover his lack of knowledge of WHAT it was GJP> and a "catch-all" to cover the costs for testing... In fact, Feline Leukemia (sometimes referred to as "Feline AIDS") is a well-known, and, unfortunately, highly contagious disease of cats. It differs from human AIDS in several ways: its contagiousness, its spectrum of susceptible animals (not including humans, thank God!), and its preventability (there are some vaccines against the disease, although none of them is 100% effective). Like human AIDS, feline leukemia impoverishes the immune system of its host, leaving the cat susceptible to various cancers (in particular, leukemia, although that's actually a rather rare side effect), and opportunistic infections. Cats infected with the virus usually are totally asymptomatic for several years before they appear ill, and then gradually decline into death. There does not appear to be any treatment for the disease at this time, although there are some strategies for extending the lives of afflicted animals. As Gjoseph found, they aren't terribly successful. But your friend is herself in no danger from the animal, since the disease is not contagious to humans. The virus is totally unlike either HIV-1 or HIV-2, although it has some interesting similarities (a highly variable protein coat a small portion of which is conserved, for instance). The virus is transmitted by contact with the stool of infected animals, and by blood-blood contact (ie. fighting). It would be wise for the owner to test any other cats in the same household. If any of them are still negative for infection, they should be vaccinated against the disease. The vaccination is not completely effective, but it's better than nothing. -- John Merrill | ARPA: merrill@bucasb.bu.edu Center for Adaptive Systems | 111 Cummington Street | Boston, Mass. 02215 | Phone: (617) 353-5765