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Co-infection with feline retrovirus is related to changes in immunological parameters of cats with sporotrichosis.
- Source :
-
PloS one [PLoS One] 2018 Nov 30; Vol. 13 (11), pp. e0207644. Date of Electronic Publication: 2018 Nov 30 (Print Publication: 2018). - Publication Year :
- 2018
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Abstract
- Feline sporotrichosis due to Sporothrix brasiliensis is frequently severe and often correlated to zoonotic transmission. Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) and Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) cause immunodeficiency in cats; no association has been identified with critical cases of sporotrichosis. Moreover, the cytokine profile in Sporothrix-infected cats and a potential impact of retrovirus co-infections on their immunity is unknown. This study assessed immunological parameters in cats with sporotrichosis with and without FIV or FeLV co-infection. FeLV infection was detected by antigen ELISA and by provirus PCR. FIV infection was investigated through ELISA and Western blot. Cytokine transcription (IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, TNF-α) was quantified using RT-qPCR and lymphocyte subpopulations (CD4, CD8, CD5 and CD21) were assessed by flow cytometry. Thirty cats with sporotrichosis were recruited to the study, including three FIV-positive and five FeLV-positive (progressive infection) cats. One cat with regressive FeLV infection was excluded from statistics. In comparison to retrovirus-negative cats, FIV-positive cats and FeLV-positive cats had higher IL-10 levels, FeLV-positive cats had lower IL-4 levels and FIV-positive cats had lower IL-12 levels and a lower CD4+/CD8+ ratio. Remarkably, all cats with poor general condition were FeLV (progressive infection) or FIV-positive, but the retrovirus status was not associated with the sporotrichosis treatment length or outcome. The immunological changes and the more severe clinical presentation observed in cats with retrovirus co-infections encourage future prospective studies that address the impact of these changes on prognostic determinants of feline sporotrichosis and the development of new therapy strategies that control disease spread.<br />Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
- Subjects :
- Animals
Antifungal Agents pharmacology
CD4-CD8 Ratio
Cats
Coinfection microbiology
Coinfection virology
Cytokines genetics
Cytokines immunology
Cytokines metabolism
Host-Pathogen Interactions drug effects
Host-Pathogen Interactions immunology
Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline drug effects
Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline physiology
Itraconazole pharmacology
Leukemia Virus, Feline drug effects
Leukemia Virus, Feline physiology
Lymphocyte Subsets immunology
Lymphocyte Subsets microbiology
Lymphocyte Subsets virology
Potassium Iodide pharmacology
Retroviridae Infections drug therapy
Retroviridae Infections virology
Sporothrix drug effects
Sporothrix physiology
Sporotrichosis drug therapy
Sporotrichosis microbiology
Coinfection immunology
Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline immunology
Leukemia Virus, Feline immunology
Retroviridae Infections immunology
Sporothrix immunology
Sporotrichosis immunology
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1932-6203
- Volume :
- 13
- Issue :
- 11
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- PloS one
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 30500849
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0207644