Message Number: FHL14634 | New FHL Archives Search

From: Sukie Crandall
Date: 2012-02-02 18:05:59 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] Help!
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com

You can find info on this form of ferret coronavirus, as opposed to the ECE from which is mutated since it is NOT FIP but is FIP-like in that it has the same sorts of symptoms as FIP.

Personally, I kind of wish people didn't even call it FIP-like because that causes confusion which makes people fear that cats and ferrets can infect each other. If the abbreviation "FIP" is used perhaps a less confusing way for vets to use it might be to say "FIP-mimic" because then it is clear that if it not FIP and because it might be easier to .

Here are some of the piece of expert info.

In
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/FHL9546
notice that the staining shows that a coronavirus is present but not which coronavirus but that the Ferret Health Advancement group at Michigan State can sequence it to see which coronavirus.

(Actually, in the early research into SARS there were some piece of research into SARS in cats and in ferrets that were alarmist but also appeared to be greatly flawed. The symptoms found in the ferrets were ECE ones, NOT SARS ones and the researchers were using only the general staining tests which just show that a coronavirus is present but not which one. The reason that mattered is not because of ability to get SARS because cats get SARS rather easily and dogs have been documented with it so it would not be a surprise if ferrets (which are descended from the dog branch of Carnivora) can get it. What the researchers were saying, though, was that the ferrets could pass the disease casually, and that turned out to be a statement which they could not back up because they didn't even bother beforehand to make sure their research animals did not have other coronaviruses and they did not do genetic sequencing of the virus, just the general coronavirus test. So, as you see, knowing this stuff matters for other reasons, too. In fact, ferrets are still used for SARS research:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21064002 and more.)

Histology and pathology info including symptoms can be found in:

http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/Presentations/Ferret_Coronaviruses.pdf

http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/Presentations/Enteric_and_Systemic_Coronavirus_Infections_in_Ferrets.pdf

http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/Presentations/Development_of_Molecular_Diagnostic_Tests_for_ECE.pdf

http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/Presentations/Laboratory_Diagnosis_of_Coronavirus_Infections_in_Ferrets.pdf

http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/Presentations/Diagnosis_of_ECE.pdf

ECE:

http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/Presentations/ECE_in_a_Ferret.pdf

http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/Presentations/Viral_Causes_of_Enteric_Disease_in_Ferrets.pdf

In the diseases section here is info on a range of ferret GI illnesses:

http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/Diseases/Gastrointestinal.pdf

Notice that the Ferret Health Advancement group is the THE group which does the genetic sequencing to know exactly what is present, and if it really is the Systemic Ferret Coronavirus!

Some study abstracts into the two types of ferret coronaviruses and a bit more (noting that you can find some of the articles by clicking on the icons of publishers on the upper right of each page):

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez
with search term
ferret coronavirus
(Then click open each one you want to see, and NOTICE DATES since more was learned over time.)

> Vet Rec. 2011 Aug 27;169(9):231. Epub 2011 Aug 22.
> Abdominal radiographic and ultrasonographic findings in ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) with systemic coronavirus infection.
> Dominguez E, Novellas R, Moya A, Espada Y, Martorell J.
> Source
> Hospital Clínic Veterinari, Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Spain.
> Abstract
> Ferret systemic coronavirus infection (FSCV) is a systemic disease in ferrets that clinically and pathologically resembles the dry form of FIP. The present study describes abdominal imaging features of 11 ferrets with FSCV. Abdominal survey radiographs were available for eight ferrets and ultrasound examination for all cases. Loss of lumbar musculature, decreased peritoneal detail, presence of mid-abdominal soft-tissue masses and splenomegaly were the most significant radiographic signs in these patients. Ultrasonographic findings including peritonitis, abdominal lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly, abdominal soft-tissue masses, nephromegaly and changes in the renal cortex echogenicity were recorded in the majority of cases with FSCV. As an imaging modality, ultrasound is superior to radiology when abdominal contrast is reduced, as it frequently occurs in these cases. However, although imaging techniques provide additional information in the antemortem diagnosis, they can not replace the definitive diagnosis based on histological and immunohistochemical results.
> PMID: 21862468 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
>
>

The next most recent had a link to a very well written letter about Systemic ECE, the mutant, in the Netherlands (RECOMMENDED READ!):

http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/17/8/11-0115_article.htm

and that includes a reference list which you can use to supplement these:

> J Gen Virol. 2011 Jun;92(Pt 6):1369-79. Epub 2011 Feb 23.
> Molecular characterization of a new species in the genus Alphacoronavirus associated with mink epizootic catarrhal gastroenteritis.
> Vlasova AN, Halpin R, Wang S, Ghedin E, Spiro DJ, Saif LJ.
> Source
> Food Animal Health Research Program, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, Ohio State University, Wooster, OH 44691, USA.
> Abstract
> A coronavirus (CoV) previously shown to be associated with catarrhal gastroenteritis in mink (Mustela vison) was identified by electron microscopy in mink faeces from two fur farms in Wisconsin and Minnesota in 1998. A pan-coronavirus and a genus-specific RT-PCR assay were used initially to demonstrate that the newly discovered mink CoVs (MCoVs) were members of the genus Alphacoronavirus. Subsequently, using a random RT-PCR approach, full-genomic sequences were generated that further confirmed that, phylogenetically, the MCoVs belonged to the genus Alphacoronavirus, with closest relatedness to the recently identified but only partially sequenced (fragments of the polymerase, and full-length spike, 3c, envelope, nucleoprotein, membrane, 3x and 7b genes) ferret enteric coronavirus (FRECV) and ferret systemic coronavirus (FRSCV). The molecular data presented in this study provide the first genetic evidence for a new coronavirus associated with epizootic catarrhal gastroenteritis outbreaks in mink and demonstrate that MCoVs possess high genomic variability and relatively low overall nucleotide sequence identities (91.7 %) between contemporary strains. Additionally, the new MCoVs appeared to be phylogenetically distant from human (229E and NL63) and other alphacoronaviruses and did not belong to the species Alphacoronavirus 1. It is proposed that, together with the partially sequenced FRECV and FRSCV, they comprise a new species within the genus Alphacoronavirus.
> PMID: 21346029 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] PMCID: PMC3168282 [Available on 2012/6/1]


I am curious about this and would appreciate knowing more about this work as well as how genetically specific or general the SARS vaccine work is for target pathogens:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21035159

> Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2010 Sep;13(3):543-60.
> Ferret coronavirus-associated diseases.
> Murray J, Kiupel M, Maes RK.
> Source
> Animal Clinic of Farmers Branch, 14021 Denton Drive, Dallas, TX 75234, USA.
> Abstract
> A novel coronavirus of ferrets was first described in 1993. This coronavirus caused an enteric disease called epizootic catarrhal enteritis (ECE). Recently, a ferret systemic coronavirus (FRSCV)-associated disease was discovered. This new systemic disease resembles the dry form of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) and has been reported in the United States and Europe. This article addresses the clinical signs, pathology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of this ferret FIP-like disease.
> Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
> PMID: 20682435 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
>
>

> Virus Res. 2010 Apr;149(1):42-50. Epub 2010 Jan 15.
> Comparative sequence analysis of the distal one-third of the genomes of a systemic and an entericferret coronavirus.
> Wise AG, Kiupel M, Garner MM, Clark AK, Maes RK.
> Source
> Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health, 4125 Beaumont Road, Lansing, MI 48909, USA. wise@dcpah.msu.edu
> Abstract
> Ferret systemic coronavirus (FRSCV) infection is associated with an emerging, highly fatal disease of ferrets. Enhanced macrophage tropism and the resulting induction of pyogranulomatous lesions are shared with feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV) infection in cats, but are not features offerret enteric coronavirus (FRECV) infection. Comparative sequence analysis of the distal one-third of the genomes of one FRSCV and one FRECV strain showed that these two ferret coronaviruses share >96% nucleotide sequence identities in the membrane (M), nucleocapsid (N) and non-structural protein genes (partial polymerase, open reading frames [ORFs] 3 and 7b). The envelope (E) protein gene showed a moderate nucleotide sequence similarity of 91.6%. In contrast, nucleotide and amino acid sequence similarities observed with the spike (S) protein were only 79.5 and 79.6%, respectively. Twenty-one amino acid differences within a 195-199-amino acid C-terminal portion of the S protein were conserved between 3 strains each of FRSCV and FRECV. Both systemic and enteric strains were found to carry a single ORF 3 gene with truncated proteins observed in two out of three FRSCV strains examined. The two enteric strains analyzed each contained an intact ORF 3 gene. Phylogenetically, FRSCV is more closely related to FRECV than to other group 1 coronaviruses.
> Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
> PMID: 20079778 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

> Vet Pathol. 2008 Mar;45(2):236-46.
> Clinicopathologic features of a systemic coronavirus-associated disease resembling feline infectious peritonitis in the domestic ferret (Mustela putorius).
> Garner MM, Ramsell K, Morera N, Juan-Sallés C, Jiménez J, Ardiaca M, Montesinos A, Teifke JP, Löhr CV, Evermann JF, Baszler TV, Nordhausen RW, Wise AG, Maes RK, Kiupel M.
> Source
> Northwest ZooPath, 654 W. Main, Monroe, WA 98296, USA. zoopath@aol.com
> Erratum in
> Vet Pathol. 2008 Jul;45(4):598.
> Abstract
> From 2002 to 2007, 23 ferrets from Europe and the United States were diagnosed with systemic pyogranulomatous inflammation resembling feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). The average age at the time of diagnosis was 11 months. The disease was progressive in all cases, and average duration of clinical illness was 67 days. Common clinical findings were anorexia, weight loss, diarrhea, and large, palpable intra-abdominal masses; less frequent findings included hind limb paresis, central nervous system signs, vomiting, and dyspnea. Frequent hematologic findings were mild anemia, thrombocytopenia, and hypergammaglobulinemia. Grossly, whitish nodules were found in numerous tissues, most frequently the mesenteric adipose tissue and lymph nodes, visceral peritoneum, liver, kidneys, spleen, and lungs. One ferret had a serous abdominal effusion. Microscopically, pyogranulomatous inflammation involved especially the visceral peritoneum, mesenteric adipose tissue, liver, lungs, kidneys, lymph nodes, spleen, pancreas, adrenal glands, and/or blood vessels. Immunohistochemically, all cases were positive for coronavirus antigen using monoclonal antibody FIPV3-70. Electron microscopic examination of inflammatory lesions identified particles with coronavirus morphology in the cytoplasm of macrophages. Partial sequencing of the coronavirus spike gene obtained from frozen tissue indicates that the virus is related to ferret entericcoronavirus.
> PMID: 18424841 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Free full text

> Vet Rec. 2008 Feb 9;162(6):180-4.
> Clinical aspects of systemic granulomatous inflammatory syndrome in ferrets (Mustela putorius furo).
> Perpiñán D, López C.
> Source
> Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo, 3701 South 10th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68107, USA.
> Abstract
> Nine ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) were diagnosed with systemic granulomatous inflammatory syndrome between 2005 and 2006. Common signs included diarrhoea, lethargy, weight loss, and weakness in the hindlimbs. Pathological findings consisted of mesenteric lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly, hypergammaglobulinaemia and non-regenerative anaemia. The condition was progressive and fatal in all the cases.
> PMID: 18263918 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

> J Comp Pathol. 2008 Jan;138(1):54-8. Epub 2007 Dec 11.
> Identification of group 1 coronavirus antigen in multisystemic granulomatous lesions in ferrets(Mustela putorius furo).
> Martínez J, Reinacher M, Perpiñán D, Ramis A.
> Source
> Departament de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals, Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. jorge.martinez.martinez@uab.es
> Abstract
> Tissues from nine ferrets with granulomatous lesions similar to those seen in feline infectious peritonitis were examined histopathologically and immunohistochemically. Four main types of lesions were observed: diffuse granulomatous inflammation on serosal surfaces; granulomas with areas of necrosis; granulomas without necrosis; and granulomas with neutrophils. Other less commonly seen lesions were granulomatous necrotizing vasculitis and endogenous lipid pneumonia. FCV3-70 monoclonal antibody produced immunolabelling of group 1 coronavirus antigen in tissue samples from eight animals, the antigen being present in the cytoplasm of macrophages in the different types of granulomatous lesions.
> PMID: 18067916 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

> Vet Rec. 2006 Apr 15;158(15):523.
> Detection of feline infectious peritonitis virus-like antigen in ferrets.
> Martínez J, Ramis AJ, Reinacher M, Perpiñán D.
> PMID: 16617048 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

> Virology. 2006 May 25;349(1):164-74. Epub 2006 Feb 24.
> Molecular characterization of a novel coronavirus associated with epizootic catarrhal enteritis (ECE) in ferrets.
> Wise AG, Kiupel M, Maes RK.
> Source
> Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health, Lansing, MI 48909, USA. wise@dcpah.msu.edu
> Abstract
> A novel coronavirus, designated as ferret enteric coronavirus (FECV), was identified in feces of domestic ferrets clinically diagnosed with epizootic catarrhal enteritis (ECE). Initially, partial sequences of the polymerase, spike, membrane protein, and nucleocapsid genes were generated usingcoronavirus consensus PCR assays. Subsequently, the complete sequences of the nucleocapsid gene and the last two open reading frames at the 3' terminus of the FECV genome were obtained. Phylogenetic analyses based on predicted partial amino acid sequences of the polymerase, spike, and membrane proteins, and full sequence of the nucleocapsid protein showed that FECV is genetically most closely related to group 1 coronaviruses. FECV is more similar to feline coronavirus, porcine transmissible gastroenteritis virus, and canine coronavirus than to porcine epidemic diarrhea virus and human coronavirus 229E. Molecular data presented in this study provide the first genetic evidence for a new coronavirusassociated with clinical cases of ECE.
> PMID: 16499943 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

This one is the earlier intestinal ferret coronavirus instead of the worse and newer systemic version:

> J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2000 Aug 15;217(4):526-30.
>
> Coronavirus-associated epizootic catarrhal enteritis in ferrets.
>
> Williams BH, Kiupel M, West KH, Raymond JT, Grant CK, Glickman LT.
>
> Department of Veterinary Pathology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology,
> Washington, DC 20306-6000, USA.
>
> OBJECTIVE: To characterize clinical signs and lesions and identify the etiologic
> agent associated with epizootic catarrhal enteritis in domestic ferrets.
> DESIGN: Cross-sectional study.
> ANIMALS: 119 ferrets with epizootic diarrhea of presumed viral cause and 5
> control ferrets.
> PROCEDURE: Clinical records and biopsy or necropsy specimens of ferrets with
> presumed epizootic catarrhal enteritis were reviewed. Immunohistochemical
> staining for coronavirus antigen was performed on paraffin-embedded tissues from
> approximately 10% of affected ferrets to identify viral antigen and determine its
> distribution. Transmission electron microscopy was performed on fecal samples and
> sections of jejunum. Virus isolation studies as well as immunofluorescent tests
> for other similar viruses were performed.
> RESULTS: Characteristic microscopic lesions consistent with intestinal
> coronavirus infection (vacuolar degeneration and necrosis of villus enterocytes;
> villus atrophy, fusion, and blunting; and lymphocytic enteritis) were
> consistently detected in affected ferrets. Coronavirus particles were identified
> in feces and jejunal enterocytes by use of transmission electron microscopy.
> Immunohistochemical staining of jejunal sections revealed coronavirus antigens.
> Antigen staining was not detected in healthy ferrets or ferrets with other
> gastrointestinal tract diseases. Virus isolation was unsuccessful, and other
> similar viruses were not detected.
> CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results strongly implicate a coronavirus as
> the causative agent of epizootic catarrhal enteritis in ferrets. Diagnosis may be
> made on the basis of a combination of historical, clinical, and microscopic
> findings.
In

http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/

there are multiple useful sections such as:

http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/Publications.php

including:

> Coronavirus-associated epizootic catarrhal enteritis in ferrets.
> Williams BH, Kiupel M, West KH, Raymond JT, Grant CK, Glickman LT. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2000 Aug 15;217(4):526-30.
>
> Development and Evaluation of Molecular Techniques for the Diagnosis of Epizootic Catarrhal Enteritis Infection of Ferrets.
> Wise A, Kiupel M, Isenhour C, Maes R. Verh. ber. Erkrg. Zootiere. 2003, 41: 427-432.
>
> Molecular characterization of a novel coronavirus associated with epizootic catarrhal enteritis (ECE) in ferrets. Wise AG, Kiupel M, Maes RK. Virology. 2006 May 25;349(1):164-74. Epub 2006 Feb 24.
>
> Clinicopathologic features of a systemic coronavirus-associated disease resembling feline infectious peritonitis in the domestic ferret (Mustela putorius).
> Garner MM, Ramsell K, Morera N, Juan-Sallés C, Jiménez J, Ardiaca M, Montesinos A, Teifke JP, Löhr CV, Evermann JF, Baszler TV, Nordhausen RW, Wise AG, Maes RK, Kiupel M. Vet Pathol. 2008 Mar;45(2):236-46. Erratum in: Vet Pathol. 2008 Jul;45(4):598.
>
> Comparative sequence analysis of the distal one-third of the genomes of a systemic and an enteric ferret coronavirus.
> Wise AG, Kiupel M, Garner MM, Clark AK, Maes RK. Virus Res. 2010 Apr;149(1):42-50.
>
> Ferret coronavirus-associated diseases.
> Murray J, Kiupel M, Maes RK.Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2010 Sep;13(3):543-60. Review.
>




Sukie (not a vet)

Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.miamiferret.org/
http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
all ferret topics:
http://listserv.ferretmailinglist.org/archives/ferret-search.html

"All hail the procrastinators for they shall rule the world tomorrow."
(2010, Steve Crandall)



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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