Fact sheets and ABCD Tools

Fact sheets are two-page abstracts highlighting the main data contained in the ABCD guidelines.They are intended for use by veterinary practitioners for quick and easy reference during vaccination consultations or telephone queries. Each fact sheet (one per pathogen) has two pages and is illustrated to help the veterinarian explain to the cat owner the main points regarding disease prevention and management.

Fact sheets general

Management of infectious diseases in shelters

Blood transfusion

What is FISS?

Feline injection-site sarcomas (FISS) are considered the most serious adverse reactions following vaccination. They are invasive sarcomas, mostly fibrosarcomas, and behave more aggressively than tumours not typically associated with injections.

Fact sheets viral

What is feline panleukopenia?

The feline panleukopenia virus (FPV) is a parvovirus, that infects all felids as well as raccoons, mink and foxes.

What is feline herpesvirus upper respiratory infection?

It is caused by feline herpesvirus (FHV), which has a worldwide distribution, also in non-domestic felids.

What is feline calicivirus upper respiratory infection?

It is caused by feline caliciviruses (FCV), highly contagious pathogens of the upper respiratory tract, widespread among felids, with highest prevalence in large groups of cats housed together.

What is feline infectious peritonitis?

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is caused by a feline coronavirus (FCoV). FCoV infection is ubiquitous and very common in multi-cat environments.

What is feline leukaemia?

It is caused by feline leukemia virus (FeLV), a retrovirus, which may induce depression of the immune system, anaemia and/or lymphoma.

What is feline immunodeficiency?

Diagnosis First isolated in 1986, feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a retrovirus closely related to HIV. Most felids are susceptible to FIV, but humans are not.

What is rabies in cats?

Rabies virus, together with the European bat lyssaviruses 1 and 2, belongs to the genus Lyssavirus, family Rhabdoviridae. There is increasing evidence that lyssaviruses can circulate within bat populations without causing disease.

What is influenza in cats?

In cats, influenza may be caused by avian H5N1 or human (pandemic) H1N1 influenzaviruses. Additionally, early observations reported subclinical infection of cats after experimental exposure to the human influenza H3N2 virus responsible for seasonal flu.

What are cowpox infections in cats?

Fact sheets bacterial

What is Chlamydia felis?

Chlamydia felis is a Gram-negative bacterium. The ocular mucosa is the main target tissue, and infection is mostly accompanied by conjunctivitis.

What is a Bartonella infection?

Bartonella spp. are small, vector-transmitted Gram-negative intracellular bacteria. Over 22 species have been described, three of which have the cat as primary reservoir: B. henselae, B. clarridgeiae and B. koehlerae.

What is a Bordetella bronchiseptica infection?

Bordetella bronchiseptica (Bb) is a gram-negative bacterium that colonises the respiratory tracts of mammals.

What is leptospirosis in cats?

Leptospira spp. are mobile bacteria that can infect many mammalian species, including humans. Leptospirosis is considered a zoonotic disease (Weil’s disease in humans).