الفهرس 
Title : Epidemiological Studies of Feline Corona Virus Infection with Special Reference of Feline Infectious Peritonitis in Cats in Egypt
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Abstract
Viral infections and related diseases can cause multiple devastating consequences on the
health and life quality for the companion animals. There are many variable viral diseases
affecting dogs and cats, some of which can cause high fatality like Feline Infectious
Peritonitis in cats, others can result in self-limiting symptoms like canine corona in puppies
and some of them could be transmitted to their owners and result in serious diseases like
rabies. In our study, we will focus on a major infection caused by feline coronavirus (related
to the novel coronavirus, which is currently attracting media attention). Feline infectious
peritonitis (FIP) is a deadly pansystemic disease of wild and domesticated Felidae which is
appeared as a mutant type for the less harmful feline enteric coronavirus (FeCoV). In Egypt,
there is neither detailed data about diseases caused by feline infectious peritonitis nor feline
enteric corona viruses till now. The study was performed to highlight on the clinical,
pathological and some epidemiological findings for (FIP) diseased cats in Egypt. For this
purpose, 169 cats (85 males and 84 females) of different breeds aged from 4 months to 8
years old were examined. Different technical methods were used to confirm the diagnosis of
the clinically suspected cases including Rivalta’s test, immunochromatographic tests,
ultrasonography, radiography, hematological testing, histopathology, and RT-PCR. Rapid
immunoassay SNAP Combo tests were used to exclude viral infection causing resembling
symptoms like feline immune deficiency and/or feline leukemia viruses. Nearly 90% of the
examined cats (152 out of 169) have been identified as carriers for feline enteric corona
virus (FeCoV). Typically, (FIP) clinical signs were observed only in the multi-cat household
especially in animal shelters. Nine cases out of 169 were identified with (FIP) disease; the
chance to contract the disease was nearly equal for both sexes (five males and four females)
and higher incidence was observed in age above two years old. Clinical signs associated
with (FIP) were recorded only in cats of foreign breeds (6 Persian and 1 Himalayan and 2
mixed breed) and no (FIP) clinical cases were reported in the Egyptian Mau cats. Frequent
incidence of complicating diseases like (FIP) is considered a remarkable challenge for
veterinarians especially in its diagnosis. Therefore, more attention and studies are required
to ease and confirm the diagnosis of such diseases with less specific symptoms.