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Abstract

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a highly fatal multi-systemic disease of wild and domesticated Felidae which is developed as a mutant type for the harmless feline enteric coronavirus (FeCoV). In Egypt, there is neither documented data about feline infectious peritonitis nor feline enteric coronaviruses till now. The study was performed to highlight on the clinical, pathological and some epidemiological findings for FIP diseased cats in Egypt. For this purpose, 169 cats (85 males and 84 females) of different breeds aged from 4 months to 8 years old were examined. Different technical methods were used to confirm the diagnosis of the clinically suspected cases including Rivalta’s test, immunochromatographic tests, ultrasonography, radiography, hematological testing, histopathology, and RT-PCR. Rapid immunoassay SNAP Combo tests were used to exclude viral infection causing resembling symptoms like feline immune deficiency and/or feline leukemia viruses. Nearly 90% of the examined cats (152 out of 169) have been identified as carriers for feline enteric coronavirus FeCoV. Typically, FIP clinical signs were observed only in the multi-cat household especially in animal shelters. 9 cases were identified with FIP disease from total of 169; FIP was nearly equal between both sexes (five males and four females) along with the higher incidence was observed in age above two years old. Clinical signs associated with FIP were recorded only in cats of foreign breeds (6 Persian, 1 Himalayan and 2 mixed breed) and no FIP clinical cases were reported in the Egyptian Mau cats. Frequent incidence of complicating diseases like FIP is considered a remarkable challenge for veterinarians especially in its diagnosis. Therefore, more attention and studies are required to ease and confirm the diagnosis of such diseases with less specific symptoms.