Molecular characterization of feline caliciviruses isolated from several adult cats with atypical infection showing severe flu-like symptoms on a remote island in Ehime, Japan.

ABSTRACT: In November 2020, a volunteer group reported an outbreak of an infectious disease with a high fatality rate and flu-like symptoms among stray cats in Aoshima, a remote island in Ehime, Japan. Nine adult cats with severe symptoms were hospitalized. Feline calicivirus (FCV) was isolated from pharyngeal swabs of six hospitalized cats. An outbreak of virulent systemic FCV (VS-FCV) infection was initially suspected because of obvious flu-like symptoms in adult cats; however, no symptoms typically associated with VS-FCV, such as skin ulcers on the limbs, edema, or viremia, were observed. Notably, two of the hospitalized cats that showed severe disease had diarrhea and anemia, and died or had a prolonged illness. These cases reveal atypical symptoms of FCV infection that have not been previously

SUBMITTER: Nishisaka Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11830335 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature