Press Releases
Kimberley Smith (301) 734-6464
Jerry Redding (202) 720-6959
USDA ISSUES LICENSE FOR FELINE IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS VACCINE FOR
CATS
WASHINGTON, March 22, 2002—The U.S. Department of Agriculture
announced today that it has issued a license to Fort Dodge Laboratories,
Inc. of Fort Dodge, Iowa, a division of Wyeth, formerly American Home
Products, Inc. for a vaccine intended to help prevent feline immunodeficiency
virus in cats. This is the first product available for this viral infection
in cats.
Feline immunodeficiency virus, a retrovirus, was first isolated in
1986. The virus, which interferes with a cat's immune system, has a
worldwide distribution with approximately 2 to 25 percent of the domestic
cat population infected.
Feline immunodeficiency virus is transmitted mainly by biting. Outdoor
male cats are at a greater risk of infection as a result of bite wounds
while defending territories. Feline immunodeficiency infection is found
more often in cats 5 years of age or older.
The most common signs of feline immunodeficiency virus infection in
cats have been diarrhea, weight-loss, fever, swollen lymph nodes and
chronic infections. Infected cats may recover from the initial illness
but they become lifelong carriers of the virus. Infected cats may remain
healthy for 10 years. Approximately half of the feline immunodeficiency
virus infected cats show signs of chronic secondary infections of the
mouth, eyes and upper respiratory tract.
This killed virus feline immunodeficiency virus vaccine is composed
of 2 feline immunodeficiency virus strains. Efficacy was demonstrated
in cats that received 3 doses of vaccine and were challenged 1 year
post vaccination with a heterologous, or different, strain. The vaccine
protected 67 percent of vaccinated cats against infection as shown by
a lack of integration of the FIV provirus, while 74 percent of the control
cats became persistently infected.
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