FFV proviral load in cats with and without FeLV co-infection
Viruses · 2018
In plain language
A clinical study of 81 naturally infected cats found more FFV genetic material in mouth samples from cats infected with both FFV and FeLV than in those infected with FFV alone. This association does not show that FeLV causes the difference. The study does not establish whether FFV co-infection changes the risk of FeLV-associated cancer.
Scientific detail
The clinical study published in Viruses in 2018 examined natural FFV and FeLV infection in a sample of 81 cats. The supplied information does not specify subgroup sizes or describe the study's limitations.
Median log10 FFV proviral load in buccal swabs was lower in FFV mono-infected cats than in FFV/FeLV co-infected cats (p = 0.003). The knowledge object classifies this finding as preliminary, level C evidence. This is an association in naturally infected cats; the supplied text does not establish controlled experimental evidence or demonstrate that FeLV causes an increase in FFV proviral load.
The source does not report lymphoma incidence, leukemia diagnoses, tumor characteristics, or oncogenic mechanisms. It therefore does not establish whether FFV co-infection modifies FeLV-associated oncogenesis or whether the observed difference in proviral load affects neoplastic risk.
What we know
In this clinical study of 81 cats, median log10 FFV proviral load in buccal swabs was lower in cats infected with FFV alone than in cats co-infected with FFV/FeLV (p = 0.003). This is an association supported by preliminary, level C evidence; subgroup sizes are not specified in the supplied information.
What we don't know
It has not been established that FeLV causes the observed difference in FFV proviral load or that this difference affects cancer risk. The source does not establish whether FFV co-infection modifies FeLV-associated oncogenesis and does not report lymphoma incidence, leukemia diagnoses, tumor characteristics, or oncogenic mechanisms. The supplied information does not describe the study's limitations.
Evidence
EvidenceLevel C — Preliminary evidenceConfidence 100/100
Median log10 FFV proviral load in buccal swabs was lower in FFV mono-infected cats than in FFV/FeLV co-infected cats (p = 0.003).
Excerpt verified in the source — verbatim, in the source's own language“The median log10 pVL of FFV mono-infected individuals was lower than found in FFV/FeLV co-infected cats in buccal swabs (p = 0.003).”
This is an association in naturally infected cats. The supplied text does not establish that FeLV causes increased FFV proviral load or that this difference affects neoplastic risk. A preliminary evidence level is used because the abstract does not establish controlled experimental evidence or replication.
Provenance
Source: Clinical and Molecular Features of Feline Foamy Virus and Feline Leukemia Virus Co-Infection in Naturally-Infected Cats.
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