%0 Journal Article
%T Feline immunodeficiency virus in Northern Cear¨¢, Brazil
%A Ana K¨¦tylla Ponte Prado Rodrigues
%A Andressa Nunes Mouta
%A Bruno Marques Teixeira
%A Gissandra Farias Braz
%A Juliano Cezar Minardi da Cruz
%A Marcos Bryan Heinemann
%A Marcos Xavier Silva
%A Margaret J Hosie
%A Paulo Eduardo Brand£¿o
%A Poliana Marisa Miranda Menezes
%A Sueli Akemi Taniwaki
%A Thiago Luiz Mendes Arcebispo
%J Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery Open Reports
%@ 2055-1169
%D 2019
%R 10.1177/2055116919859112
%X The objectives of this study were to confirm the prevalence of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection in domestic cats in the region north of Cear¨¢, Brazil, and to determine the factors associated with infection and the major circulating subtypes of the virus in this area. Samples from 148 cats were collected and tested using anti-FIV antibody screening, with confirmation of positive results by PCR. Univariate analysis was performed considering the epidemiological characteristics and FIV status. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the gag and pol genes were performed to confirm the FIV subtype. Nine cats (6.1%) tested positive for FIV ¨C one female (0.7%) and eight males (5.4%). Male cats were significantly more likely to be infected (P <0.05). Phylogenetic analysis of gag and pol gene sequences indicated that the FIV isolates circulating in the study area belonged to subtype B. In this study, we demonstrated a low prevalence for FIV in the northwest of Cear¨¢, north-eastern Brazil. Male sex is a significant risk factor for FIV infection and the best predictive factor for FIV status. All isolates examined in this study clustered within subtype B, which is the predominant subtype in Brazil. This is the first report of genetic characterization of FIV in the state of Cear¨¢, Brazil
%K Retrovirus
%K feline immunodeficiency virus
%K subtype B
%K domestic cat
%K Cear¨¢
%K north-eastern Brazil
%U https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2055116919859112