AT-RISK INDIVIDUALS IN FELINE IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS EPIDEMIOLOGY - EVIDENCE FROM A MULTIVARIATE APPROACH IN A NATURAL-POPULATION OF DOMESTIC CATS (FELIS-CATUS)

Prevalence of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) infection was measur ed during 6 consecutive years in a natural rural population of domesti c cats. Sex, age, weight, origin, group size and presence of antibodie s to FIV were recorded for each sampled cat. Logistic regressions were used to estimate the influence of the recorded parameters on infectio n. FIV prevalence rates are as high as 19.6% in the total population, and do not statistically change between years, after controlling for c hanges in samples' age structure. FIV infection is characterized by ri sk factors linked to aggressive behaviour: old mature male adults havi ng dispersed are more likely to be infected. A study of the cats group size and of the spatial distribution of infected individuals indicate s the absence of infection clusters in males, and suggests the importa nce of roaming in the spreading of FIV. In conclusion, FIV infection s preads, with low contagiousness, mainly between particularly aggressiv e individuals, and the virus is endemic in this population.