Cats are often troubled by various diseases, with respiratory infections being the most common. Common pathogens causing respiratory infections include feline calicivirus, feline herpesvirus, Mycoplasma felis, Chlamydophila felis, and Bordetella bronchiseptica. These pathogens constantly threaten cats’ health. Understanding the symptoms and common diagnostic methods of these pathogens is crucial for cat owners.

Introduction to Pathogen

• Feline Calicivirus (FCV): Feline calicivirus is highly contagious among feline species. Symptoms include fever, nasal discharge, coughing, sneezing, and ocular inflammation. It can also lead to serious complications such as oral ulcers and arthritis, which may result in fatality in cats.
• Feline Herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1): Infection with feline herpesvirus-1 presents as an acute contagious disease. Cats infected with this virus typically show symptoms such as nasal discharge, ocular inflammation, coughing, sneezing, and fever. Severe infection may lead to keratitis and respiratory tract diseases, and if not promptly treated, it can result in death.
• Mycoplasma felis (MF): Symptoms of Mycoplasma felis infection typically include nasal discharge, coughing, sneezing, fever, and ocular inflammation. The incidence rate is relatively high, and if complicated by other serious diseases such as pulmonary infections, it may lead to severe consequences.
• Chlamydophila Felis (CF): Chlamydophila Felis is highly contagious, with infected cats exhibiting symptoms of acute or chronic conjunctivitis, along with mild respiratory symptoms. Untreated Chlamydophila Felis infection in cats can lead to serious complications such as pulmonary infections and respiratory failure.
• Bronchial hemolytic Bordetella (Bb): Symptoms of bronchial hemolytic Bordetella infection concentrate in the upper respiratory tract (sneezing, eye and nasal discharge). Severe cases in affected cats may lead to pneumonia, difficulty breathing, cyanosis, and even death, occurring in both kittens and adult cats.

Although the symptoms of respiratory tract infections in cats caused by different pathogens are similar, the treatment methods differ. Using the wrong medication can delay recovery. Therefore, pathogen screening is indispensable, and accurate and rapid diagnostic tools become crucial.

Diagnostic Methods

• Immunological methods (ELISA or antigen detection): These methods can rapidly detect pathogens in samples, and are cost-effective, but may yield false positive or false negative results, leading to misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis. Further testing is needed to accurately assess the condition.
• Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR): PCR testing has high accuracy but requires sending the samples to specialized PCR laboratories, resulting in a longer turnaround time, which may lead to missed optimal treatment opportunities.
• Pluslife Next-Generation Molecular POCT Solution: Pluslife combines the timeliness of immunological tests and the accuracy of PCR testing. It enables rapid and precise detection of individual pathogens, effectively distinguishing between pathogens with similar symptoms, facilitating accurate diagnosis and prompt treatment. Moreover, it is cost-effective and suitable for various scenarios including pet stores, pet hospitals/clinics, and even households.