USING DIRECT IMMUNOFLUORESCENCE TO DETECT CORONAVIRUSES IN PERITONEALAND PLEURAL EFFUSIONS

Twenty-one cases of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) were diagnosed using a direct immunofluorescence test on cytocentrifuged pleural and peritoneal effusions from cats sampled in vivo (11 cases) and at necr opsy (10 cases). A commercial fluorescent polyclonal antiserum of feli ne origin reacting with FIPV and cross reacting with transmissible gas troenteritis virus and canine coronavirus was used. Eleven cats with a scites of a different origin were used as negative controls. The direc t immunofluorescence test was 97 per cent reliable (31 cases of 32) an d can be used in routine diagnosis.