Comparação entre as amostras de secreção ocular, nasal e oral para o diagnóstico da rinotraqueíte viral felina

Abstract

Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis is an infectious disease caused by Varicellovirus felidalpha 1, which belongs to the Orthoherpesviridae family and is one of the main agents of the Feline Viral Respiratory Complex. Transmission occurs through direct contact with infected secretions or through fomites, posing a challenge to the health of domestic cats. Early diagnosis is essential for implementing control and prevention measures. The aim of this study was to detect the Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis virus in samples of ocular, nasal and oral swabs from cats with symptoms of the Feline Viral Respiratory Complex, using the conventional Polymerase Chain Reaction technique. The analyses were carried out at the Molecular Biology Laboratory of the Federal Rural University of Amazonia, allowing the incidence of positive cases and the distribution of the virus among the different types of samples collected to be assessed. Three independent samples were collected from 40 animals: one ocular, one nasal and one oral, totaling 120 samples analyzed. Of the animals evaluated, 24 (60%) tested positive for the agent. In all the positive cases, the virus was detected in the nasal sample, either in isolation or in association with the other samples. The isolated nasal sample tested positive in 10 cats (25%); 1 animal (2.5%) tested positive simultaneously in all three samples (ocular, nasal and oral); 9 cats (22.5%) tested positive in the ocular and nasal samples; and in 4 animals (10%), the virus was identified in the nasal and oral samples. The data obtained indicates the presence of the viral infection in Belém, highlighting the importance of further studies on the pathogen for the development of effective control and prophylaxis strategies, as well as providing relevant epidemiological data related to the circulation of the virus in feline populations at home.