Feline coronavirus (FCoV) belong to family Coronaviridae, order Nidovirales, and, together with canine coronavirus (CCoV) and transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TEGV) of pigs, belong to the subfamily Coronavirinae, genus Alphacoronavirus, species Alphacoronavirus 1 (Kipar & Meli, 2014). FCoV infection is very common in cats. Around 40% of the domestic feline population has been infected with FCoV, and this figure increases to 90% in multi-feline households. FCoVs appear to have emerged in the 1950s, possibly due to cross-species transmission, and felines worldwide have now been found to be infected (Tasker, 2018). Natural infections with FCoV are transient in ~70% of felines, but persistent infections occur in ~13% of felines. These persistently infected animals are sometimes referred to as ‘carrier’ or ‘chronically shedding’ felines. FCoVs occur as two pathotypes, which cannot be distinguished serologically or morphologically; feline enteric coronavirus (FECV), defined as the “ubiquitous enteric biotype” and feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV), the virulent biotype that causes FIP in individual felines.
In a small percentage of cases, FCoV infection results in feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), a fatal disease that is a common cause of death in young feline (Tasker, 2018). FIP was first described and named in the 1960’s, when experimental infections of healthy felines with organ material of diseased animals confirmed it as a fatal infectious disease. The likely emergence of FIP in the 20th century is believed to be linked to the evolution of the FCoV alongside CoV of porcines and canines, the development of virulent FIP virus mutations from enteric FCoV, and the increased popularity of keeping and breeding felines as pets (Kipar & Meli, 2014; Tekes & Thiel, 2016).
Applications: Suitable for use in ELISA. Other applications not tested.
Recommended Dilution:Optimal dilutions to be determined by the researcher.
Inactivation:UV and detergent inactivated.
Storage and Stability:Aliquot to avoid repeated freezing and thawing and store at -70°C. Aliquots are stable for 6 months after receipt. For maximum recovery of product, centrifuge the original vial after thawing and prior to removing the cap.
