Treatment with Class A CpG Oligodeoxynucleotides in Cats with Naturally Occurring Feline Parvovirus Infection: A Prospective Study
Filippo Ferri,
Federico Porporato,
Francesco Rossi,
Daniela Enache,
Carolina Callegari,
Gabriele Gerardi,
Luigi M. Coppola,
Barbara Contiero,
Chiara Crinò,
Neda Ranjbar Kohan,
Marina L. Meli,
Hans Lutz,
Regina Hofmann-Lehmann,
Eric Zini
Affiliations
Filippo Ferri
AniCura Istituto Veterinario di Novara, Strada Provinciale 9, 28060 Granozzo con Monticello (NO), Italy
Federico Porporato
AniCura Istituto Veterinario di Novara, Strada Provinciale 9, 28060 Granozzo con Monticello (NO), Italy
Francesco Rossi
AniCura Istituto Veterinario di Novara, Strada Provinciale 9, 28060 Granozzo con Monticello (NO), Italy
Daniela Enache
AniCura Istituto Veterinario di Novara, Strada Provinciale 9, 28060 Granozzo con Monticello (NO), Italy
Carolina Callegari
AniCura Istituto Veterinario di Novara, Strada Provinciale 9, 28060 Granozzo con Monticello (NO), Italy
Gabriele Gerardi
Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy
Luigi M. Coppola
Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy
Barbara Contiero
Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy
Chiara Crinò
The Ralph Veterinary Referral Centre, Fourth Avenue, Globe Business Park, Marlow SL7 1YG, UK
Neda Ranjbar Kohan
Clinical Laboratory, Department of Clinical Diagnostics and Services, and Center for Clinical studies, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
Marina L. Meli
Clinical Laboratory, Department of Clinical Diagnostics and Services, and Center for Clinical studies, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
Hans Lutz
Clinical Laboratory, Department of Clinical Diagnostics and Services, and Center for Clinical studies, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
Regina Hofmann-Lehmann
Clinical Laboratory, Department of Clinical Diagnostics and Services, and Center for Clinical studies, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
Eric Zini
AniCura Istituto Veterinario di Novara, Strada Provinciale 9, 28060 Granozzo con Monticello (NO), Italy
Feline parvovirus (FPV) causes severe gastroenteritis and leukopenia in cats; the outcome is poor. Information regarding specific treatments is lacking. Class A CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG-A) are short single-stranded DNAs, stimulating type I interferon production. In cats, CpG-A induced an antiviral response in vivo and inhibited FPV replication in vitro. The aim was to prospectively investigate the effects of CpG-A on survival, clinical score, hematological findings, antiviral response (cytokines), viremia, and fecal shedding (real-time qPCR) in cats naturally infected with FPV. Forty-two FPV-infected cats were randomized to receive 100 µg/kg of CpG-A (n = 22) or placebo (n = 20) subcutaneously, on admission and after 48 h. Blood and fecal samples were collected on admission, after 1, 3, and 7 days. All 22 cats showed short duration pain during CpG-A injections. The survival rate, clinical score, leukocyte and erythrocyte counts, viremia, and fecal shedding at any time-point did not differ between cats treated with CpG-A (50%) and placebo (40%). Antiviral myxovirus resistance (Mx) gene transcription increased in both groups from day 1 to 3 (p = 0.005). Antibodies against FPV on admission were associated with survival in cats (p = 0.002). In conclusion, CpG-A treatment did not improve the outcome in cats with FPV infection. FPV infection produced an antiviral response.
