PCR DETECTION OF ADENOVIRUS IN A CAT

Adenovirus antibody has been detected in cats and a single pathologica l case has been reported previously (Hung.Vet.J. 9/1996) Successful PC R detection of adenovirus nucleic acid was carried out on throat and f ecal swab samples of a field cat seropositive for adenovirus antibody and suffering from hepatic failure. The samples were taken with one ye ar interval and both fecal samples and the latter throat sample were a mplified successfully in a double PCR employing general primers for ad enoviruses with wobbles flanking a 301 base pair long stretch in the h exon region of the adenovirus genom. The PCR conditions were set after general considerations and the PCR product detected corresponded to t he size of the positive control. This result suggests persistent carri er status and shed of adenovirus in that cat. This is the first report on the molecular biological demonstration of an adenovirus in cats an d these findings may play a relevant role.