Feline infectious peritonitis
incurable, fatal disease that affects cats
Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a common and aberrant immune response in cats to infection with feline coronavirus (FCoV).
The virus and pathogenesis of FIP
Feline infectious peritonitis is a viral and fatal immune disease caused by the mutated FCoV. FCoV is a common virus found in most cats, however only few (less than 10%) develop FIP from mutation of the coronavirus. When a cat develops FIP, they can develop either a wet or dry form of the virus, both resulting in eventual mortality.
FCoV is a virus of the gastrointestinal tract. Most infections are either asymptomatic or cause diarrhea, especially in kittens, as maternally derived antibody wanes at between 5 and 7 weeks of age. The virus is a mutation of feline enteric coronavirus (FECV). From the gut, the virus very briefly undergoes a systemic phase, before returning to the gut where it is shed in the feces.
The pathogenesis of FIP is complex. There is a general consensus that FIPVs arise from mutations enabling them to enter or replicate more successfully in monocytes (a type of white blood cell). Many aspects of virus–host interactions affecting the disease remain uncertain, however, such as the factors that influence disease form (wet or dry), outcome (death or resistance), and host susceptibility.
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This entry incorporates text from “Feline infectious peritonitis” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.