Small Animal Review

Canine distemper virus (CDV), a morbillivirus, has been associated with fatal disease in wild cats. During surveillance for the virus in wild cat populations a novel feline morbillivirus (FeMV) was identified across Asia, Europe and the Americas. It is suggested as a potential aetiological agent of tubulointerstitial nephritis, although this has yet to be definitively confirmed.

Piewbang et al (2020) conclusively identified FeMV infection in two captive black leopards with fatal tubulointerstitial nephritis. Both animals showed severe renal disease, small kidneys with multifocal areas of light tan discoloration of the renal parenchyma, diffuse tubular necrosis and moderate renal tubular degeneration. The kidneys were positive for FeMV using PCR and immunohistochemically FeMV antigen was present in renal tubular epithelial cells. Although the role of FeMV in causing renal disease in domestic cats has yet to be confirmed, the findings in these two leopards provide strong evidence that feline renal tubular epithelial cells can be infected with and support the replication of FeMV. If FeMV can be shown to be a primary aetiological agent in the development of chronic renal disease in cats, then this raises the possibility that an FeMV vaccine may be useful in reducing the prevalence of this disease.