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FLEXY - Feline Leukemia Virus Antigen & immunodeficiency Virus Antibodi

Feline leukemia Virus FeLV Ag Rapid Test Kit is based on an immunochromatographic assay to detect FeLV Ag in feline serum or blood. Result in 10-15min, which is rapid, accurate and easy-to-operate.

Feline immunodeficiency Virus Rapid Test Kit is based on sandwich immunechromatographic assay, to detect feline immunodeficiency virus antibody in blood and serum, which is rapid, accurate and easy-to-operate.

Basic information

Feline leukemia virus is a retrovirus that infects cats. FeLV can be transmitted from infected cats when the transfer of saliva or nasal secretions is involved. Cats persistently infected with FeLV serve as sources of infection for other cats. The virus is shed in saliva, nasal secretions, urine, feces, and milk of infected cats. 

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is one of the most common and consequential infectious diseases of cats around the world. In infected cats, FIV attacks the immune system, leaving the cat vulnerable to many other infections. Although cats infected with FIV may appear normal for years, they eventually suffer from immune deficiency, which allows normally harmless bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and fungi found in the everyday environment to potentially cause severe illnesses. 

What causes FeLV infection?

FeLV is categorized into four subgroups, A, B, C and T. An infected cat has a combination of FeLV-A and one or more of the other subgroups. Exposure to the feline leukemia virus doesn’t have to be a death sentence; about 70% of cats who encounter the virus are able to resist infection or eliminate the virus on their own.

Why and how might my cat become infected?

Feline leukemia is a disease that only affects cats -- it cannot be transmitted to people, dogs, or other animals. FeLV is passed from one cat to another through saliva, blood, and to some extent, urine and feces. The virus does not live long outside the cat’s body -- probably just a few hours. Grooming and fighting seem to be the commonest ways for infection to spread. Kittens can contract the disease in utero or through an infected mother’s milk. The disease is often spread by apparently healthy cats, so even if a cat appears healthy, it may be infected and able to transmit the virus.

What happens during infection and how to diagnose it?

After being exposed to FeLV, the incubation period is two to 14 days before symptoms appear. 

Commercial labs detect the presence of FeLV in two ways: by ELISA antigen testing or through reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR), a procedure that detects a segment of genetic material that is specific to leukemia virus. Both tests are equally effective, though the RT-PCR test may be more common in some areas.

Test results should be interpreted carefully. Please always follow the advice of the doctor.

 

What is feline immunodeficiency virus?

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a virus specific to the cat family. It is similar to HIV (human immunodeficiency virus, the cause of AIDS in people) in that it attacks and weakens the immune system and there is no cure. FIV was first recognized in the mid-1980s and has been found in cats worldwide. Although widespread, it is not a common infection in cats. Only 1-5% of cats show evidence of exposure to the virus. There are different strains of FIV, and some seem more harmful than others.

How do cats get FIV?

Infected cats shed the virus mainly in their saliva. Naturally occurring transmission of an infection occurs when an infected cat that is actively shedding virus into the saliva bites another cat, directly inoculating its saliva through the bite wound. A susceptible cat can also become infected when other bodily fluids, particularly infected blood, enter its body. Infected blood may enter the cat's body through a bite wound, or the cat may become infected by means of a blood transfusion. The virus may also be sexually transmitted.

Will my cat recover from FIV?

As far as we know, once a cat is infected with the FIV virus, it will remain infected for the rest of its life. However, it is not clear if all infected cats will become clinically ill. It may be weeks, months, or even years after initial infection with FIV before a cat will develop clinical signs of illness.

 

Extended reading

 

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Feline Leukemia Antigen - Immunodeficiency Virus Antibodi