Feline Morbillivirus: Clinical Relevance of a Widespread Endemic Viral Infection of Cats

Feline morbillivirus (FeMV) was isolated in 2012 from stray cats from Hong Kong. FeMV has two type Genotype (GT), GT1 and GT2. GT1 was first identified in 2012 in Hong Kong and is found worldwide in Asia, Europe, and America. GT2 was identified in Germany in 2018. FeMV can be cultivated many kinds of cells of cat, so it is suggested that systemic infections can occur with FeMV and that clinically relevant genotype differences in tropism may exist. The host of FeMV is not only domestic cats, but also wild fields, so FeMV could be a threat for susceptible endangered host species. According to the information from experimental infection studies, FeMV infection shows few clinical signs. However, FeMV was detected from the urine of FeMV infection cats for a long time. Histopathological changes were found in kidney, liver, and spleen. Regarding FeMV pathogenicity, a wide spectrum of clinical outcomes appears to be possible, from subclinical infections to acute and/or chronic disease and lethal outcomes.

(RN)