Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE
2621 MORGAN CIR
KNOXVILLE,TN 37996-4540
Performing Department
Small Animal Clinical Sciences
Non Technical Summary
Source: Private industry; Time period: 12/1/12 to 11/30/13. Feline herpesvirus is the main cause of rhinotracheitis, a respiratory disease in shelters and multiple cat households. This is astudy in support of licensure aimed at demonstrating the efficacy of Polyprenyl Immunostimulant (PI) in reducing the duration and severity of disease in cats challenged with rhinotracheitis virus (FRV). We propose a placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blinded virus challenge study. We will compare PI- and placebo- treated subjects by their response to challenge with the FRV. All cats will be specific pathogen free and of the same age and will be obtained from the same animal facility. No confounding of effects is anticipated. Seven days pre-infection, cats are shown to be negative for evidence of FRV infection. A cat shall be considered susceptible if an oropharyngeal swab is negative by virus isolation and the serum is negative for serum neutralizing antibody (SN) at a dilution of 1:2 in SN test.Cats testing positive on either or both tests are disqualified from the study. During the study, if the cats show clinical signs of discomfort or stress such as nasal or ocular discharge, the discharge will be cleaned. If signs of dehydration develop, subcutaneous fluids will be administered. If cats become severely depressed, have complete loss of appetite for over 3 days, and are non-responsive, they will be removed from the study and euthanized immediately. Euthanized cats or cats that die will be assessed as having clinically relevant signs of disease. This research may be translatable to use in other animals, including livestock.
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
100%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
Demonstrate the efficacy of polyprenyl immunostimulant in reducing the duration and severity of disease in cats challenged with rhinotracheitis virus
Project Methods
We will use a vaccination-challenge model where Polyprenyl Immunostimulant, rather than vaccination, is given at the time of exposure, mimicking the situation that exists in animal shelters. We will be looking at changing the course of disease in naïve animals who are exposed to potentially infected animals upon admission into shelters, adoption by multiple-cat households, introduced into cat shows etc. Polyprenyl Immunostimulant is the experimental product that will be tested for the ability to improve the well being of cats with feline rhinotracheitis. Twenty FRV susceptible cats of both sexes, 6-10 weeks of age will be clinically infected intranasally and orally with FRV obtained from the National Veterinary Service Laboratory. Ten cats will receive experimental product orally immediately after infection and twice a day for 14 days. Ten cats will be given placebo on the same schedule. Investigators will not be aware of which cats are receiving experimental product and which are getting placebo. For a total of three weeks, cats will be monitored daily, and characteristic clinical signs of rhinotracheitis will be assessed (Appendix 1). Blood will be taken pre-challenge to verify that the kittens have not been exposes to rhinotracheitis virus and do not have maternal immunity. Oropharyngeal swabs will be taken pre-challenge to verify that the kittens are free of rhinotracheitis virus infection. Results should show that significantly more control group cats than treatment group cats have severe signs of rhinotracheitis.