FASTest FCoV Strip – Feline Coronavirus

Why Test?

Why is it important to test for Feline Coronavirus?

The clinical signs of the Feline Infectious Peritonitis infection may vary due to the pathogenic form and organs affected. The transition between the various forms is fluent, therefore Feline Infection Peritonitis could show either effusive (wet) FIP or no-effusive (dry) FIP. All cats showing diffused clinical symptoms, for example, antibiotic resistance, recurring fever, unclear different organ lesions, chronic weight loss; and pleural and/or peritoneal effusions should be considered as suspicious for Feline Infection Peritonitis.

Studies prove that the correlation between the level of antibody titre and virus shredding rate is important. Although cats suffering from manifest Feline Infection Peritonitis could shed less Feline Coronavirus, asymptomatic cats can shed Feline Coronavirus over months via faeces while other cats of the same household only shed occasionally or over weeks with no virus. Chronic shedders could shed a million times more Feline Coronavirus as accidental shedders, therefore the risk of infection and associated individual viruses can lead to higher Feline Coronavirus mutation rates and a higher likelihood of developing the Feline Infection Peritonitis infection.

Feline Coronavirus infection of a breeding population can be avoided with reasonable effort; therefore management of the breeding population should concentrate on reducing the amount of virus load and antibody status in order to reduce the infection risk as much as possible.

Ideally monitoring the Feline Coronavirus shedding (5 consecutive tests at weekly intervals) using our FASTest FCoV strip to help detect easily on-site asymptomatic chronic shedders and to immediately start separation and prophylaxis measurements.