Survey of veterinary conference attendees for evidence of zoonotic infection by feline retroviruses

Objective-To examine exposure risks, possibility of zoonosis, and potential disease associations for feline retroviruses among a group of occupational ly exposed individuals. Design-Unlinked voluntary cross-sectional epidemiologic survey. Sample Population-204 veterinarians, laboratory scientists, and other occup ationally exposed individuals who attended a veterinary conference on felin e geriatric medicine. Procedure-Blood was collected from participants who also completed a 13-que stion survey requesting demographic, occupational, exposure, and health inf ormation. Blood specimens were fractionated into plasma and mononuclear cel l components. Plasma was tested for antibodies against feline immunodeficie ncy virus (FIV) and feline foamy virus (FeFV), as well as p27 antigen of Fe LV. Mononuclear cell lysates were tested for FeLV provirus. Results-Subjects reported extensive duration of work with cats (mean, 17.3 years) and multiple highrisk exposures (eg, cat bites, scratches, and injur ies with sharp instruments) per year. However, neither serologic nor molecu lar evidence of zoonosis with any of the 3 feline retroviruses was detected . Conclusions and Clinical Relevane-Veterinarians encounter occupational expo sures to animal material that place them at high risk for zoonoses. For fel ine retroviruses, the risk of zoonosis among healthy adult humans appears t o be extremely small. However, potential for retroviral zoonosis, especiall y for viruses such as FeLV and FeFV that can replicate in human cells, cann ot be eliminated, and universal precautions to reduce potential exposures s hould be used when handling sick cats.