SCHOOL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE

Veterinary Medical Centre – UQ VETS

Cnr Main Drive and Outer Ring Road
The University of Queensland Gatton Qld 4343
Phone 07 5460 1788 Fax: 07 5460 1780
veterinary-science.uq.edu.au

INFORMATION SHEET
Virulent Systemic Feline Calicivirus (VS-FCV)

Background Information • High mutation rate leads to the development of virulent

strains and resistance against vaccines
• Can be associated with co-infection which can
• Feline Calicivirus (FCV) is a common infection in cats complicate the clinical presentation and management,
caused by multiple different strains of calicivirus and can confuse regular strains for VS. Other infections
• FCV causes flu-like symptoms and more severe disease in (particularly panleukopaenia, FHV-1, Mycoplasma felis,
some cats Chlamydophila felis and Bordetella bronchiseptica) need
to be ruled out.
• A particularly virulent strain of FCV, called Virulent
Systemic Feline Calicivirus (VS-FCV), more recently • Incubation period is 2–10 days
emerged. It has been reported worldwide, with one • Persistence in the environment at room temperature
known outbreak in Sydney a couple of years ago can be for up to 4 weeks, with longer persistence in cold
• VS- FCV is capable of causing severe generalised disease conditions
through severe vasculitis and ulcerations by epithelial cell • Caliciviruses are typically very species specific and do not
cytolysis represent a risk to people or other species of animals

VS-FCV Disease Is there a specific risk profile?

• Shelter cats are particularly high risk
What are the characteristics of the virus? • Other intensively managed facilities, e.g. catteries,
breeders, clinics
• All FCV strains are potentially pathogenic and need to be
managed collectively • Kittens appear to be more frequent shedders
• VS-FCV is a recognised distinct disease variant with • Clinical recovery and/or lack of symptoms does not
increased pathogenicity. Some specific strains described mean the cat is not potentially shedding virus, although
for some outbreaks such as Ari, Diva, Koas and Ukos-W asymptomatic cats will generally excrete less virus
• However, VS-FCV has no definite diagnostic or virological • F3 vaccine is not completely protective for disease and
features that would differentiate it from other strains not protective for carriage
• Vasculitis and associated typical clinical feature is • Stress is an underlying risk factor: co-infection, crowding,
suggestive of the VS strain social, nutritional, co-mingling, poor hygiene, poor
ventilation, etc.
• RT-PCR best used for diagnosis of FCV, but won’t
differentiate the VS strain. No reliance on PCR for • Carriage of FCV strains common in all cats
diagnosis, it must be interpreted in combination with
clinical presentation and epidemiologic data
• Shedding can persist up to 4 months in cats recovering
from clinical infection
• Un-enveloped virus means more resistant to
environmental exposure and disinfection methods

The University of Queensland UQ VETS – 1

How is it transmitted? What can work up of these cases identify?
• Highly contagious with cats hospitalised for more than • Pleural effusion and most likely a modified transudate
12 hr in the presence of an infected cat or in the same with pyogranulomatous component which can make the
household having more than 90% chance to be infected disease appear similar to FIP initially
• Droplet as mainly URT, but potentially any excretion • Increased glycaemia due to associated pancreatitis and
pancreatic necrosis
• No true aerosolisation, but possible airborne spread <1m
• Cat-cat contact • Increased liver enzymes and bilirubin due to viral liver
damage
• Fomites, especially hands, but including clothing,
equipment • Decreased albumin and increased CK
• Premises surfaces including floors, benches, cages • Neutrophilia common on CBC
• Possibly also on cat’s fur contaminated by excretions
How to treat?
What are the Clinical Signs? (* typical for
• There is unfortunately no specific treatment, it is mainly
VS-FCV when found concurrently) supportive care

• Fever • Broad spectrum antibiotics (doxycycline or amoxyclav

suggested) for secondary bacterial infection
• Anorexia
• Nutritional management through feeding tube and
• Limping enteral nutrition
• Oral ulcers* • Intravenous fluids to be used with caution due to
• Upper respiratory signs the vasculitis component of the disease and risk of
aggravating respiratory symptoms of pulmonary oedema;
• Lower respiratory signs going from tachypnoea to favour the enteral route for rehydration if dyspnoea or
dyspnoea tachypnoea present
• Oedema of face and limbs* • Interferon has been reported to be helpful in some case
• Ulcerative pododermatitis* but the literature remains controversial on its use. It has
been suggested to use them in the more severe cases and
• Icterus the risk benefit would be favorable as its use is not usually
• Bleeding tendencies with melena, petechiations associated with marked side effects

• Sudden death • Sometimes glucocorticoids are needed to help with a

potential immune-mediated component for the vasculitis
associated with the viral infection. It still needs to be
What is the mortality rate? used with caution and on a case by case basis as it is not
considered gold standard for treatment
• Case fatality of 40%, ranging from 25 to 70% depending
on strain and population described
• Gastrointestinal supportive care with anti-emetics, anti-
acids, sucralfate for the GI ulcers
• Mortality rate often higher in older cats (>1 yr old) than
kittens (< 6 months old) with respective rates of about
• Plan to be adjusted with each specific cases as they might
present with various combinations of the symptoms listed
60% and 15%
above

How to diagnose VS -FCV?

Is vaccination protective?
• PCR from oropharyngeal swabs or other fluids like pleural • No the current vaccine does not really protect against the
effusion virulent strain unfortunately
• Virus isolation from oropharyngeal swabs or tissues • Interestingly, young unvaccinated animals tends to suffer
sampled from the mild form whether adult and vaccinated cats
could be more likely to suffer from the more severe form
• Genetic sequencing can be done to identify specific
strains
• Serum virus neutralizing titers
• IHC in tissue samples

The University of Queensland UQ VETS – 2

Infection Control Protocol • Manage staff and animal work flows to limit passage of
potentially infected individuals, or contaminated materials
or humans, through or into ‘clean’ areas
Suggestions on how to manage incoming • If required, follow up with owners of animals which could
cases if indicated have been exposed to an infected cat while in hospital
and make sure they are not showing symptoms
• Ensure all staff are aware of VS-FCV and its common • No hospital access for non-essential activities or personnel
clinical presentation
• All cats considered potentially at risk for carriage or
transmission Personnel
• Suspect cases or cats in contact with known carriers • Hand hygiene: based on “5 moments” principles and
triaged to a separate isolation facility effective technique
• All other cats dealt with case-by-case as individuals: • Use of disposable gloves, gowns, shoe covers for higher
• Strict decontamination of consult room and equipment exposure risk activities, e.g. with infected cats
between cats • Use of hand sanitisers: wash and alcohol gel stations
• Hand hygiene and personnel decontamination between readily accessible and functional
cats • Strict use of dedicated clothing (e.g. scrubs) whilst at the
• Admitted cats: quarantine period of ~7 days with hospital
isolation/barrier methods from other admitted cats as • Staff personal decontamination on leaving the hospital:
much as possible. Careful monitoring for early clinical
signs −− Hand hygiene
• Minimise admissions: advocate home or similar care −− Removal of work dedicated clothing: scrubs, etc.
where possible −− Decontamination of equipment (e.g. personal
• Stop completely cat visits if highly suspect case or stethoscopes, notepads, footwear, phones, computer
diagnosed VS-FCV case in hospital keyboards)
−− Recommend taking shower at work if staff has cat at
home
Isolation of infected and suspect cats
• Advised not to be in contact with cats for 48 hrs after
• Separate premises: physical distance, doors, etc. provide hospital contact where possible
barriers to transmission
• Dedicated equipment and clothing (e.g. scrubs, Decontamination
disposable aprons, boot covers)
• Separate management of bedding, laundry, feed, waste • Initial cleaning of gross contamination
• No clearly defined long term isolation period for • ‘Dirty’ areas: Rigorous disinfection of all surfaces and
recovered cats: equipment in contact with infected/suspect cats

−− Up to 3 months likely for severe disease in vaccinated • ‘Clean’ areas: strict adherence to routine decontamination
cats protocols, with a recommended increase in frequency of
application until the case cluster resolves
−− Recovered cats: longer term housing? Fostering?
• Recommended disinfectants:
−− Vaccination will not reduce carriage or shedding
−− Peroxygens: potassium peroxymonosulfate (e.g.
Virkon), accelerated peroxides
Movement control and workflow −− Halogens: hypochlorite (bleach), iodine
management
−− Alcohols: 70% v/v ethanol or propanol
• Of all cats, not just infected/suspect • Ideally, have 10 min contact time for any disinfectant used.
• Cats only to be managed ideally by specified staff who Where not practical, maximise contact.
do not have contact with other cats (in hospital and if • General chemical disinfectant protocols: correct
possible who do not have a cat of their own at home) or concentration, stock vs working solutions, use of fresh
are trained to manage VS- FCV solutions with clear re-constitution guidelines, minimise
• Physically contact healthy cats before infected/suspect organic matter contamination
cats if reduced staff to be caring for animals in hospital
(especially overnights and week end shifts). This would
mean for staff to go and check on cat in isolation just at
the end of their shift
• Identify VS-FCV ‘clean’ and ‘dirty’ areas

The University of Queensland UQ VETS – 3

Additional Information Message from the UQ VETS Team

How many other outbreaks described in the This information sheet combines the clinical and infectious disease
knowledge of its contributors:
literature?
• the Small Animal Internal Medicine Team headed by
• First recognised outbreak in 1998 in Northern California Dr Erika Meler, Veterinary Specialist and Researcher in
where it took the name of haemorrhagic fever Infectious Diseases

• Similar outbreaks reported across several states in the • the Microbiology Team led by Pr Rowland Cobbold,
USA Associate Professor in Microbiology and Researcher in the
field of One Health
• Outbreak described in England in 2003 and then several
more in Europe This document is being made available freely to the veterinary
community for general use. Although a lot of care has been put
• First Australian outbreak reported in Sydney in June into the writing of this document, it has not been peer-reviewed
2016. These might not have involved the same strain by an Editorial team therefore the UQ team of authors shall not be
as the cats involved appeared not to suffer of marked held responsible for the use of its content.
systemic signs
If you have a case you would like to discuss or have questions
about Hospital Infection Control protocols, our team of Internal
Did outbreaks share similar features? Medicine and Emergency Critical Care specialists will be happy to
assist.
• Most often the case, the index case was a hospitalised
For any questions or queries on VS-FCV, please do not hesitate to
shelter cat
contact UQ VETS Small Animal Hospital on (07) 5460 1788 or visit
• Adult vaccinated cats were affected predominantly and our website at https://veterinary-science.uq.edu.au/
kittens appear to have less signs
• Spread was rapid through fomites and affected client
cats as well as vet staff cats Some references
• Often the spread was limited to the one clinic or shelter • Coyne et al. Lethal outbreak of disease associated with feline
and there was no spread associated in the community calicivirus infection in cats. Vet Record 2006;158:544-550.
• Outbreak resolved usually on their own within 1 to 2 • Deschamps JY et al. Nosocomial feline calicivirus-associated virulent
months, nobody knows how and why systemic disease in a veterinary emergency and critical care unit in
France. J Fel Med Surg Open Reports 2015;1-9.
• No reported transmission of disease from fully recovered • Hughes D. Virulent feline calicivirus (FCV) in Sydney’s inner west.
cats, despite them shedding the virus Centre for Veterinary Education 2016;284:25-29.
• Hurley et al. An outbreak of virulent systemic feline calicivirus disease.
J Am Vet Med Assoc 2004;224(2):241-249.
• Hurley & Sykes. Update on feline calicivirus: new trends. Vet Clin
Small Anim 2003;33:759-772.
• Pedersen et al. An isolated epizootic of hemorrhagic-like fever in cats
caused by a novel and highly virulent strain of feline calicivirus. Vet
Microb 2000;73:281-300.
• Pesavento et al. Pathologic, immunohistochemical and electron
microscopic findings in naturally occurring virulent systemic feline
calicivirus infections in cats. Vet Pathol 2004;41:257-263.Reynolds BS
et al. A nosocomial outbreak of feline calicivirys associated virulent
systemic disease in France. J Fel Med Surg 2009;11:633-644.
• Radford AD et al. Feline calicivirus infection. ABCD guidelines on
prevention and management. J Fel Med Surg 2009;11:556-564.
• Schorr-Evans EM et al. An epizootic of highly virulent feline calicivirus
disease in a hospital setting in New England. J Fel Med Surg
2003;5:217-226.

CRICOS PROVIDER NO 00025B / 109731 April 2018

The University of Queensland UQ VETS – 4