COMPARISON OF SEROLOGIC ASSAYS FOR MEASUREMENT OF ANTIBODY-RESPONSE TO CORONAVIRUS IN CATS

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  • 1 September 1988
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 49  (9) , 1472-1479
Abstract
Serologic virus neutralization test, indirect immunofluorescene test, and ELISA, using tissue culture-adapted feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV) or feline enteric coronavirus (FECV) were compared for their ability to distinguish specific virus exposure in cats. Sera of specific-pathogen-free cats inoculated with virulent or modified FIPV or FECV were used to compared the sensitivity and specificity of the homologous assays to a heterologous assay that measures antibody reactivity with transmissible gastroenteritis virus of swine. The geometric means of the serologic titers in FIPV and FECV assay were higher for FIPV- or FECV-infected specific-pathogen-free cats than the geometric means of the transmissible gastroenteritis virus assays for most groups. None of the assays was specific enough to discern the virus to which a cat had been exposed. However, the FIPV virus neutralization test appeared to be more sensitive for detection of an early response to FIPV infection than did the FIPV immunofluorescence test of FIPV-ELISA.