Evaluation of intranasal vaccine administration and high-dose interferon- α2b therapy for treatment of chronic upper respiratory tract infections in shelter cats

Abstract

Clinical signs of upper respiratory tract infection can be hard to manage in cats, particularly those in shelters. In this study, clinical data were collected from chronically ill (3–4 weeks’ duration) cats with suspected feline herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1) or feline calicivirus (FCV) infections after administration of one of two novel therapies. Group A cats were administered a commercially available formulation of human interferon-α2b at 10,000 U/kg subcutaneously for 14 days, and group B cats were administered one dose of a FHV-1 and FCV intranasal vaccine. Molecular assays for FHV-1 and FCV were performed on pharyngeal samples, and a number of cytokines were measured in the blood of some cats. A clinical score was determined daily for 14 days, with cats that developed an acceptable response by day 14 returning to the shelter for adoption. Those failing the first treatment protocol were entered into the alternate treatment group. During the first treatment period, 8/13 cats in group A (61.5%) and all 12 cats in group B (100%) had apparent responses. The seven cats positive for nucleic acids of FHV-1 or FCV responded favorably, independent of the treatment group. There were no differences in cytokine levels between cats that responded to therapy or failed therapy. Either protocol assessed here may be beneficial in alleviating chronic clinical signs of suspected feline viral upper respiratory tract disease in some cats that have failed other, more conventional, therapies. The results of this study warrant additional research involving these protocols.