CHALLENGE TRIAL OF AN INTRANASAL FELINE INFECTIOUS PERITONITIS VACCINE

An independent study was conducted with a temperature-sensitive feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) vaccine (Primucell FIP(R):SmithKline Bee cham Animal Health, Exton, Penn.) Twenty kittens were vaccinated at 16 and 19 weeks of age; 20 additional age-matched kittens were used as n onvaccinated controls. All 40 cats were challenged with the DF-2 strai n of FIP virus (FIPV) orally at 23 weeks of age and observed for 8 wee ks. A total of six out of 20 vaccinates and 12 out of 20 control cat h ad histopathologic lesions consistent with FIP (p = 0.055). One vaccin ated and five nonvaccinated cats developed clinically apparent FIP dur ing the study and were euthanized. The remainder of FIP diagnoses were made via histopathologic examination of tissues from clinically norma l cats at the end of the 8-week postchallenge observation period. The vaccine prevented 50% of the expected cases of FIP when administered a ccording to manufacturer's recommendations.