Horizontal Transmission of Feline Leukemia Virus Under Experimental Conditions2

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Abstract
Thirty-seven specific-pathogen-free (SPF) cats ranging from newborn to 1 year were inoculated with the Rickard strain of feline leukemia virus (FeLV). Each inoculated cat shared a cage with a control SPF cat for 40 weeks post inoculation. After 4–5 weeks, 20 of the inoculated cats became group-specific antigen (gsa)-positivej the other 17 remained gsa-negative but developed virus neutralizing and feline oncornavirus cell membrane-associated antigen antibody titers. Seventeen of the control cats in contact with the gsa-positive cats developed evidence of FeLV infection 4–18 weeks after virema was detected in their inoculated cage mates. Of the control cats in contact with inoculated cats that remained gsa-negative, none developed evidence of FeLV infection. Data indicated that the gsa-positive state in cats inoculated with FeLV correlated with the capacity for horizontal transmission of the virus.

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