Keywords
How to Cite
Abstract
Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) infection was discovered over 50 years ago; however, the serious clinical changes associated with FeLV infection still have great importance in the diagnosis, prevention, and clinical management of symptomatic patients. Progressive infection with FeLV leads to a reduction in the patient’s life expectancy and quality of life. This report describes the use of an antiretroviral integrase inhibitor, raltegravir, in two cats with natural FeLV infection. Raltegravir was administered orally at a dose of 40 mg/ cat every 12 h in both cases. In case one, 13 weeks after starting raltegravir, RNA loads were undetectable, while proviral DNA loads were still detectable. In case two, proviral DNA loads were undetectable after 32 weeks of medication, while RNA loads were undetectable throughout the treatment. No adverse effects or laboratory test abnormalities were detected with the use of raltegravir in either patient. The patients are currently clinically healthy, still receiving the drug, and are under close observation. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing the use of raltegravir in naturally infected FeLV-positive cats and its effects on circulating viral load. Moreover, the patients described here were followed-up for a longer period than those in previously reported cases.
References
Toxoplasma gondii and Concurrent Bartonella spp., feline immunodeficiency virus, feline leukemia virus, and Dirofilaria immitis infections in Egyptian cats. Journal of Parasitology, 97(2), 256-258. https://doi. org/10.1645/GE-2654.1.
Azócar-Aedo, L., & Montí, G. (2015). Leukemia Virus and Feline Immunodeficiency: Determining the prevalence and knowledge of the owners in the city of Valdivia, Chile. Revista Hospitales Veterinarios, 7, 78-84.
Beall, M. J., Buch, J., Clark, G., Estrada, M., Rakitin, A., Hamman, N. T., Frenden, M. K., Jefferson, E. P., Amirian, E. S., & Levy, J. K. (2021). Feline leukemia virus p27 antigen concentration and proviral DNA load are associated with survival in naturally infected cats. Viruses, 13(2), 302. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/v13020302. PMid:33671961.
Bisset, L. R., Lutz, H., Böni, J., Hofmann-Lehmann, R., Lüthy, R., & Schüpbach, J. (2002). Combined effect of zidovudine (ZDV), lamivudine (3TC) and abacavir (ABC) antiretroviral therapy in suppressing in vitro FIV replication. Antiviral Research, 53(1), 35-45. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0166-3542(01)00190-5. PMid:11684314.
Boesch, A., Cattori, V., Riond, B., Willi, B., Meli, M. L., Rentsch, K. M., Hosie, M. J., Hofmann-Lehmann, R., & Lutz, H. (2015). Evaluation of the effect of short-term treatment with the integrase inhibitor raltegravir (Isentress) on the course of progressive feline leukemia virus infection. Veterinary Microbiology, 175(2-4), 167-178. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.vetmic.2014.10.031. PMid:25500005.
Cattori, V., Weibel, B., & Lutz, H. (2011). Inhibition of Feline leukemia virus replication by the integrase inhibitor Raltegravir. Veterinary Microbiology, 152(1-2), 165-168. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.vetmic.2011.03.039. PMid:21570781.
Coelho, F. M., Maia, M. Q., Luppi, M. M., Costa, E. A., Luiz, A. P. M. F., Ribeiro, N. A., Bomfim, M. R. Q., Fonseca, F. G., & Resende, M. (2011). Ocorrência do vírus da leucemia felina em Felis cattus em Belo Horizonte. Arquivo Brasileiro de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, 63(3), 778-783. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0102-09352011000300037.
Da Costa, F. V., Valle, S. D. F., Machado, G., Corbellini, L. G., Coelho, E. M., Rosa, R. B., & González, F. H. (2017). Achados hematológicos e fatores associados a positividade pelo vírus da leucemia felina (felv) e vírus da imunodeficiência felina em gatos do sul do Brasil. Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira, 37(12), 1531-1536. https:// doi.org/10.1590/S0100-736X2017001200028.
Gómez, N. V., Fontanals, A., Castillo, V., Gisbert, M. A., Suraniti, A., Mira, G., & Pisano, P. B. (2012). Evaluation of different antiretroviral drug protocols on naturally infected feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) cats in the late phase of the asymptomatic stage of infection. Viruses, 4(6), 924-939. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ v4060924. PMid:22816032.
Gulick, R. M., Mellors, J. W., Havlir, D., Eron, J. J., Gonzalez, C., McMahon, D., Richman, D. D., Valentine, F. T., Jonas, L., Meibohm, A., Emini, E. A., Chodakewitz, J. A., Deutsch, P., Holder, D., Schleif, W. A., & Condra, J. H. (1997). Treatment with indinavir, zidovudine, and lamivudine in adults with human immunodeficiency virus infection and prior antiretroviral therapy. The New England Journal of Medicine, 337(11), 734-739. http://dx.doi.org/10.1056/NEJM199709113371102. PMid:9287228.
Hartmann, K. (2012). Clinical aspects of feline retroviruses: a review. Viruses, 4(11), 2684-2710. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/v4112684. PMid:23202500.
Hartmann, K. (2015). Infecção pelo vírus da leucemia felina. In C. E. Greene (Eds.), Doenças infecciosas em cães e gatos (4. ed., pp. 113-143). Rio de Janeiro: Guanabara Koogan.
Hartmann, K., & Hofmann-Lehmann, R. (2020). What’s New in Feline Leukemia Virus Infection. The Veterinary Clinics of North America. Small Animal Practice, 50(5), 1013-1036. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cvsm.2020.05.006. PMid:32680664.
Hartmann, K., Donath, A., Beer, B., Egberink, H. F., Horzinek, M. C., Lutz, H., Hoffmann-Fezer, G., Thum, I., & Thefeld, S. (1992). Use of two virustatica (AZT, PMEA) in the treatment of FIV and of FeLV seropositive cats with clinical symptoms. Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology, 35(1-2), 167-175. http://dx.doi. org/10.1016/0165-2427(92)90129-E. PMid:1363008.
Helfer-Hungerbuehler, A. K., Widmer, S., Kessler, Y., Riond, B., Boretti, F. S., Grest, P., Lutz, H., & Hofmann-Lehmann, R. (2015). Long-term follow up of feline leukemia virus infection and characterization of viral RNA loads using molecular methods in tissues of cats with different infection outcomes. Virus Research, 197(2), 137-150. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.virusres.2014.12.025. PMid:25553598.
Ho, D. D. (1995). Time to hit HIV, early and hard. The New England Journal of Medicine, 333(7), 450-451. http://dx.doi.org/10.1056/NEJM199508173330710. PMid:7616996.
Hofmann-Lehmann, R., Huder, J. B., Gruber, S., Boretti, F., Sigrist, B., & Lutz, H. (2001). Feline leukaemia provirus load during the course of experimental infection and in naturally infected cats. The Journal of General Virology, 82(Pt 7), 1589-1596. http://dx.doi.org/10.1099/0022-1317-82-7-1589. PMid:11413369.
Little, S., Levy, J., Hartmann, K., Hofmann-Lehmann, R., Hosie, M., Olah, G., & Denis, K. S. (2020). 2020 AAFP feline retrovirus testing and management guidelines. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 22(1), 5-30. https://doi.org/10.1177/1098612X19895940.
Ludwick, K., & Clymer, J. W. (2019). Comparative meta-analysis of feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus seroprevalence correlated with GDP per capita around the globe. Research in Veterinary Science, 125, 89-93. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rvsc.2019.05.013. PMid:31176263.
Medeiros, S. O., Abreu, C. M., Delvecchio, R., Ribeiro, A. P., Vasconcelos, Z., Brindeiro, R. M., & Tanuri, A. (2016). Follow-up on long-term antiretroviral therapy for cats infected with feline immunodeficiency virus. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 18(4), 264-272. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1098612X15580144. PMid:25855689.
Muchaamba, F., Mutiringindi, T. H., Tivapasi, M. T., Dhliwayo, S., & Matope, G. (2014). A survey of feline leukaemia virus infection of domestic cats from selected areas in Harare, Zimbabwe. Journal of the South African Veterinary Association, 85(1), 1126. http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/jsava.v85i1.1126. PMid:25686080.
Ortega, C., Valencia, A. C., Duque-Valencia, J., & Ruiz-Saenz, J. (2020). Prevalence and genomic diversity of Feline Leukemia Virus in privately owned and shelter cats in Aburrá valley. Colombia. Viruses, 12(4), 464. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/v12040464. PMid:32325926.
Ortega-Pacheco, A., Aguilar-Caballero, A. J., Colin-Flores, R. F., Acosta-Viana, K., Guzman-Marin, E., & Jimenez- Coello, M. (2014). Seroprevalence of feline leukemia virus, feline immunodeficiency virus and heartworm infection among owned cats in tropical Mexico. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 16(6), 460-464. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1098612X13509995. PMid:24196568.
Sepkowitz, K. A. (2001). AIDS--the first 20 years. The New England Journal of Medicine, 344(23), 1764-1772. http:// dx.doi.org/10.1056/NEJM200106073442306. PMid:11396444.
Singh, I. R., Gorzynski, J. E., Drobysheva, D., Bassit, L., & Schinazi, R. F. (2010). Raltegravir is a potent inhibitor of XMRV, a virus implicated in prostate cancer and chronic fatigue syndrome. PLoS One, 5(4), e9948. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0009948. PMid:20376347.
Smith, R. A., Gottlieb, G. S., & Miller, A. D. (2010). Susceptibility of the human retrovirus XMRV to antiretroviral inhibitors. Retrovirology, 7(1), 70. http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1742-4690-7-70. PMid:20807431.
Stuetzer, B., Brunner, K., Lutz, H., & Hartmann, K. (2013). A trial with 3′-azido-2′,3’dideoxythymidine and human interferon-α in cats naturally infected with feline leukaemia virus. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 15(8), 667-671. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1098612X12473468. PMid:23321692.
Tandon, R., Cattori, V., Gomes-Keller, M. A., Meli, M. L., Golder, M. C., Lutz, H., & Hofmann-Lehmann, R. (2005). Quantitation of feline leukaemia virus viral and proviral loads by TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction. Journal of Virological Methods, 130(1-2), 124-132. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jviromet.2005.06.017. PMid:16054243.
Tavares, L., Roneker, C., Postie, L., & de Noronha, F. (1989). Testing of nucleoside analogues in cats infected with feline leukemia virus: A model. Intervirology, 30(Suppl 1), 26-35. http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000150121. PMid:2540111.
Torres, A. N., Mathiason, C. K., & Hoover, E. A. (2005). Re-examination of feline leukemia virus: Host relationships using real-time PCR. Virology, 332(1), 272-283. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.virol.2004.10.050. PMid:15661159.
Torres, A. N., O’Halloran, K. P., Larson, L. J., Schultz, R. D., & Hoover, E. A. (2008). Development and application of a quantitative real-time PCR assay to detect feline leukemia virus RNA. Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology, 123(1-2), 81-89. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.vetimm.2008.01.013. PMid:18321595.
Van Rompay, K. K. (2010). Evaluation of antiretrovirals in animal models of HIV infection. Antiviral Research, 85(1), 159-175. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.antiviral.2009.07.008. PMid:19622373.
Westman, M., Norris, J., Malik, R., Hofmann-Lehmann, R., Harvey, A., McLuckie, A., Perkins, M., Schofield, D., Marcus, A., McDonald, M., Ward, M., Hall, E., Sheehy, P., & Hosie, M. (2019). The diagnosis of Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV) infection in owned and group-housed rescue cats in Australia. Viruses, 11(6), 503. http://dx.doi. org/10.3390/v11060503. PMid:31159230.
Willard, M. D., & Twedt, D. C. (2004). Gastrointestinal, pancreatic, and hepatic disorders. In M. D. Willard & H. Tvedten (Eds.), Small animal clinical diagnosis by laboratory methods (4th ed., pp. 208-246). Elsevier http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B0-72-168903-5/50014-8.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2022 Carla Regina Gomes Rodrigues Santos, Isabela Torres Ferreira, Renata Beranger, Julia Possebon Santi, Mariana Palha de Brito Jardim, Heloisa Justen Moreira de Souza