Use of anti-coronavirus antibody testing of cerebrospinal fluid for diagnosis of feline infectious peritonitis involving the central nervous system in cats

• Published in: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association Vol. 230; no. 2; pp. 199 - 205
• Main Authors: Boettcher, I.C, Steinberg, T, Matiasek, K, Greene, C.E, Hartmann, K, Fischer, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 15.01.2007
• Subjects: Age Factors; Animals; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Antibodies, Viral - cerebrospinal fluid; blood serum; Cats; central nervous system; cerebrospinal fluid; Cerebrospinal Fluid - immunology; Cerebrospinal Fluid - virology; Coronavirus, Feline - immunology; Diagnosis, Differential; diagnostic techniques; disease diagnosis; erythrocytes; Feline coronavirus; feline infectious peritonitis; Feline Infectious Peritonitis - blood; Feline Infectious Peritonitis - cerebrospinal fluid; Feline Infectious Peritonitis - diagnosis; Female; immunoglobulin G; Immunoglobulin G - blood; Immunoglobulin G - cerebrospinal fluid; leukocytes; Male; Nervous System Diseases - blood; Nervous System Diseases - cerebrospinal fluid; Nervous System Diseases - diagnosis; Nervous System Diseases - veterinary; pets; Predictive Value of Tests; Prospective Studies; Sensitivity and Specificity; serodiagnosis; Sex Factors
• ISSN: 0003-1488; 1943-569X
• DOI: 10.2460/javma.230.2.199

To assess the use of measuring anti-coronavirus IgG in CSF for the diagnosis of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) involving the CNS in cats. Prospective study. CSF and serum samples from 67 cats. CSF and serum samples were allocated into 4 groups: cats with FIP involving the CNS (n = 10), cats with FIP not involving the CNS (13), cats with CNS disorders caused by diseases other than FIP (29), and cats with diseases other than FIP and not involving the CNS (15). Cerebrospinal fluid was evaluated for concentrations of erythrocytes, leukocytes, and total protein. Anti-coronavirus IgG was measured in CSF and serum by indirect immunofluorescence assay. CSF IgG (range of titers, 1:32 to 1:4,096) was detected in 12 cats, including 6 cats with neurologic manifestation of FIP, 4 cats with FIP not involving the CNS, and 2 cats with brain tumors. Cerebrospinal fluid IgG was detected only in cats with correspondingly high serum IgG titers (range, 1:4,096 to 1:16,384) and was positively correlated with serum IgG titers (r = 0.652; P < 0.01), but not with any other CSF parameter. Blood contamination of CSF resulted in < or = 333 erythrocytes/microL in cats with CSF IgG. The correlation between serum and CSF IgG and the fact that CSF IgG was detected only in strongly seropositive cats suggested that CSF anti-coronavirus IgG was derived from blood. Measurement of anti-coronavirus IgG in CSF was of equivocal clinical use.