This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by de Groot-Mijnes, J. D. F.
Right arrow Articles by de Groot, R. J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by de Groot-Mijnes, J. D. F.
Right arrow Articles by de Groot, R. J.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Journal of Virology, January 2005, p. 1036-1044, Vol. 79, No. 2
0022-538X/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JVI.79.2.1036-1044.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Natural History of a Recurrent Feline Coronavirus Infection and the Role of Cellular Immunity in Survival and Disease

Jolanda D. F. de Groot-Mijnes,1,{dagger} Jessica M. van Dun,1 Robbert G. van der Most,2 and Raoul J. de Groot1*

Virology Division,1 Immunology Division, Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands2

Received 22 June 2004/ Accepted 16 August 2004

We describe the natural history, viral dynamics, and immunobiology of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), a highly lethal coronavirus infection. A severe recurrent infection developed, typified by viral persistence and acute lymphopenia, with waves of enhanced viral replication coinciding with fever, weight loss, and depletion of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Our combined observations suggest a model for FIP pathogenesis in which virus-induced T-cell depletion and the antiviral T-cell response are opposing forces and in which the efficacy of early T-cell responses critically determines the outcome of the infection. Rising amounts of viral RNA in the blood, consistently seen in animals with end-stage FIP, indicate that progression to fatal disease is the direct consequence of a loss of immune control, resulting in unchecked viral replication. The pathogenic phenomena described here likely bear relevance to other severe coronavirus infections, in particular severe acute respiratory syndrome, for which multiphasic disease progression and acute T-cell lymphopenia have also been reported. Experimental FIP presents a relevant, safe, and well-defined model to study coronavirus-mediated immunosuppression and should provide an attractive and convenient system for in vivo testing of anticoronaviral drugs.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Virology Division, Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands. Phone: 31 30 2531463. Fax: 31 30 2536723. E-mail: R.Groot{at}vet.uu.nl.

{dagger} Present address: Department of Virology, Eijkman-Winkler Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Journal of Virology, January 2005, p. 1036-1044, Vol. 79, No. 2
0022-538X/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JVI.79.2.1036-1044.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Perpinan, D., Lopez, C. (2008). Clinical aspects of systemic granulomatous inflammatory syndrome in ferrets (Mustela putorius furo). Vet Rec. 162: 180-183 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Tusell, S. M., Schittone, S. A., Holmes, K. V. (2007). Mutational Analysis of Aminopeptidase N, a Receptor for Several Group 1 Coronaviruses, Identifies Key Determinants of Viral Host Range. J. Virol. 81: 1261-1273 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Pewe, L., Zhou, H., Netland, J., Tangudu, C., Olivares, H., Shi, L., Look, D., Gallagher, T., Perlman, S. (2005). A Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Associated Coronavirus-Specific Protein Enhances Virulence of an Attenuated Murine Coronavirus. J. Virol. 79: 11335-11342 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • (2005). EDITOR'S CHOICE 42(3). Vet Pathol 42: 400-401 [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»