Epicarditis in a cat caused by feline infectious peritonitis virus: case report

ABSTRACT Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) is a progressive and fatal disease in domestic and wild cats, caused by Feline Infectious Peritonitis Virus (FIPV). The disease is characterized by an immunomediated reaction against the virus in various organs. This work described a case report of fibrinous epicarditis caused by FIPV. A male cat, three years old, died and was received to be necropsied. Grossly, soft, multifocal to coalescing, whitish fibrinous exudate, measuring up the 2 centimeters of thickness, was observed in the epicardium, mostly at the apex of the heart. Microscopically, severe, multifocal to coalescing inflammatory infiltrate was observed in the epicardium, composed mainly by macrophages, plasmocytes and lymphocytes, associated with fibrin deposition. Immunohistochemistry was performed for FIPV and was positive in the areas of inflammation in the epicardium. To the author´s knowledge, this is the second report of epicarditis due to FIPV in a cat. Therefore, epicarditis should be considered a differential diagnosis of cardiac diseases in Feline Medicine.

【摘要】猫传染性腹膜炎（Feline Infectious Peritonitis, FIP）是一种累及家猫与野生猫科动物的进行性致死性疾病，其病原体为猫传染性腹膜炎病毒（Feline Infectious Peritonitis Virus, FIPV）。该病以机体针对病毒在多器官内发生的免疫介导性反应为主要特征。本研究报道一例由FIPV引发的纤维素性心外膜炎病例。病例为一只3岁雄性家猫，死亡后接受剖检。大体病理学检查可见，心外膜（尤以心尖部为重）存在质地柔软、多灶性融合性的白色纤维素性渗出物，厚度可达2厘米。显微镜下观察，心外膜可见严重的多灶性融合性炎性浸润，浸润细胞以巨噬细胞、浆细胞及淋巴细胞为主，并伴随纤维蛋白沉积。针对FIPV的免疫组织化学检测结果显示，心外膜炎症区域呈阳性反应。据作者所知，这是全球第二例由FIPV引发猫心外膜炎的病例。因此，在猫科医学临床中，心外膜炎应被纳入心脏疾病的鉴别诊断范畴。