Prevalence of Serum Antibody Titers against Core Vaccine Antigens in Italian Cats
Author:
Dall’Ara Paola1ORCID, Lauzi Stefania1ORCID, Turin Lauretta1ORCID, Servida Francesco2, Barbieri Laura3, Zambarbieri Jari1ORCID, Mazzotti Giulia4, Granatiero Federico5, Scarparo Elena1, Mirabile Aurora1, Bo Stefano6, Filipe Joel1ORCID
Affiliation:
1. Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences (DIVAS), University of Milan, Via dell’Università 6, 26900 Lodi, LO, Italy 2. Clinica Veterinaria Pegaso, Via Dante Alighieri 169, 22070 Rovello Porro, CO, Italy 3. Clinica Veterinaria Turro, Via Gerolamo Rovetta 8, 20127 Milano, MI, Italy 4. Ambulatorio Veterinario Mazzotti, Via Papa Giovanni XXIII 93, 24054 Calcio, BG, Italy 5. Clinica Veterinaria Prealpi, Via Monviso, 22070 Limido Comasco, CO, Italy 6. Ambulatorio Veterinario Bo-Ferro, Via Fratelli Calandra 3, 10123 Torino, TO, Italy
Abstract
Feline core vaccines strongly recommended for all cats are against Feline panleukopenia virus (FPV), Felid herpesvirus type 1 (FeHV-1), and Feline calicivirus (FCV), but cats can be classified as low- and high-risk based on their lifestyle. The aim of this study was to determine the actual seroprotection against FPV, FeHV-1, and FCV in a large cohort of Italian cats by using the VacciCheck test. A total of 740 cats (567 owned and 173 stray cats; 435 vaccinated and 305 unvaccinated) were analyzed for Protective Antibody Titers (PATs). Differences related to origin, sex, age, breed, FIV/FeLV status, health status, and time elapsed since last vaccination were evaluated. Less than half of the entire cohort (36.4%) had PATs for all three diseases simultaneously, increasing to 48.6% if weak positive values were also considered and 50.3% when considering only the 435 vaccinated cats. Particularly, antibodies were detected against FCV, FPV, and FeHV-1 at protective titers (PATs) in 78.6%, 68.1, and 49.1% of the cats, respectively. In general, owned, neutered, and adult FIV- and/or FeLV-negative cats were the most protected categories, even if not always for the three viruses. Most cats maintained high PATs for 3 years or longer after vaccination against FPV and FCV but not FeHV-1. Long-lasting protective immunity persisted for many years after the last vaccination (more than 18 years in the oldest cats). Nevertheless, since not all cats were protected after so many years and for all pathogens, checking protection via antibody titration could be the best choice to prevent immunity breakdowns. The discussion also focuses on the reliability of antibody titration for the two URTD (upper respiratory tract disease) viruses which, unlike for FPV, is not widely accepted as a valid index of protection.
Subject
Paleontology,Space and Planetary Science,General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
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