FELINE LENTIVIRUS AND FELINE ONCOVIRUS STATUS OF FREE-RANGING LIONS (PANTHERA-LEO), LEOPARDS (PANTHERA-PARDUS), AND CHEETAHS (ACINONYX-JUBATUS) IN BOTSWANA - A REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE

Subpopulations of large fields in southern Africa exhibit a range of l entivirus prevalence, with some subpopulations showing no evidence of infection. Botswana lions (Panthera lee), leopards (Panthera pardus), and cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) were evaluated for evidence of feline lentivirus infection by assaying for antibodies against test antigens derived from a puma lentivirus isolate (PLV(CGZ)) and a domestic cat f eline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and for oncovirus (feline leukemia virus [FeLV]) infection using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (EL ISA) for detection of antigen. Blood collection filter paper kits were distributed countrywide to safari hunters and Department of Wildlife and National Parks field officers involved in problem predator managem ent. All sampling (n = 53) was opportunistic; no cats were captured, a naesthetized, or killed for this project. Five different assays for an tibodies to lentivirus were utilized on most samples: PLV(CGZ) indirec t immunofluorescence assay (IFA), PLV(CGZ) western immunoblot (WE), FI V ELISA, FIV IFA, and FIV WE. One test was used for detection of oncov irus antigen: domestic cat FeLV ELISA. None of the cats tested positiv e for FeLV infection. There are different specificities and sensitivit ies among the lentivirus assays being applied to nondomestic fields, s uggesting that assay choice is important and that caution is warranted in interpreting data. Evidence of current lentivirus infection (defin ed as a positive result on at least the PLV(CGZ) WB) was found in all three species: eight of 31 Lions (25.8%), three of 18 leopards (16.7%) , and one of four cheetahs (25%). In domestic cats and other mammals s o far investigated, lentivirus seropositivity is strongly correlated w ith lentivirus infection. Seropositive cats were found in geographical ly diverse parts of the country. Although this study is not a comprehe nsive virologic evaluation of the lion, leopard, and cheetah populatio ns of Botswana, it does reveal wild felid lentivirus infection in a pr eviously unexamined portion of sub-Saharan Africa. With more informati on on PLV-like lentivirus and FeLV, scientists and managers in souther n Africa can make more informed decisions regarding the movement of la rge cats locally or internationally for research, management, or comme rcial purposes.