Soroprevalência e fatores de risco do coronavírus felino (FCoV) no sul capixaba
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Data
2025-03-25
Autores
Caprioli, Ana Amélia
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Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo
Resumo
Coronaviruses (CoVs) are zoonotic viruses belonging to the Coronaviridae family, capable of infecting various species, including felines. Feline Coronavirus (FCoV) can evolve into feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), a severe and often fatal disease. This study aimed to investigate the seroprevalence of FCoV in domestic cats from the municipalities of Alegre and Jerônimo Monteiro, in southern Espírito Santo, and to identify the main risk factors associated with infection. Blood samples were collected from 120 cats, aged between 41 days and 13 years, treated at the Patinhas Alegres veterinary clinic. Antibody detection was performed using the ImmunoComb FCoV test, an ELISA-based immunoassay that quantifies serological levels into categories of negative, weak, moderate, and strong positive. The seropositivity rate was 69.2%, with a distribution of 5.8% weak positive, 29.2% moderate positive, and 34.2% strong positive. Univariate analysis indicated a significant association between FCoV infection and age (p = 6.18 × 10⁻⁷) and reproductive status (p = 3.09 × 10⁻⁸), while sex (p = 0.4035) and housing conditions (p = 0.2628) were not statistically significant. Binary logistic regression confirmed that cats aged 3–8 years had an 11-fold higher risk of infection (OR = 10.96; 95% CI: 2.56 – 56.57; p = 0.002), and cats older than 8 years had a 9-fold increased risk (OR = 9.27; 95% CI: 1.42 – 86.91; p = 0.029), suggesting that cumulative exposure to the virus over time is a key determinant of infection. Ordinal logistic regression revealed that older cats not only had higher seropositivity rates but also exhibited elevated antibody levels. Compared to kittens (<1 year), cats aged 3–8 years were 8.8 times more likely to have high antibody titers (OR = 8.84; 95% CI: 2.45 – 34.94; p = 0.0012), while cats older than 8 years had a 19-fold increased risk (OR = 19.12; 95% CI: 4.11 – 100.37; p = 0.0003). Housing conditions showed a statistical trend, with cats living alone exhibiting a higher infection risk (OR = 9.48; 95% CI: 1.08 – 216.87; p = 0.041). However, this factor did not significantly influence antibody levels, suggesting that social contact may affect viral transmission but not necessarily the immune response. Given these findings, controlling FCoV infection in Brazil requires not only large-scale and continuous epidemiological studies to monitor high-risk groups, such as adult and elderly cats, but also the implementation of integrated biosecurity measures, including proper environmental management, targeted vaccination protocols, and increased awareness among cat owners to prevent viral spread and minimize the risk of progression to FIP.
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Coronavírus felino , Soroprevalência , Fatores de risco