Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is a retrovirus that infects cats. FeLV can be transmitted from infected cats when the transfer of saliva or nasal secretions is involved.
Though any cat exposed to the virus can develop an FeLV infection, kittens are at a greater risk than adult cats due to their immature immune system. After exposure to FeLV, a cats body can react to the virus in a few different ways, leading to abortive, regressive, or progressive infections.
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Affected cats can develop anemia (a low red blood cell level), cancers, and/or suppression of the immune system. The disease worsens over time and is usually fatal. The virus can infect domestic and wild cats (such as lions).
The outcome of FeLV infection is determined by a dynamic interaction between the virus and the cats immune system. This balance is particularly critical during the early stages of infection, typically within the first twelve weeks after exposure.
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Depending upon the age, health, and immune status of the cat exposed to the virus, the infection may become progressive, regressive, or be aborted.3,4. An abortive infection occurs when the cats immune system eliminates the virus prior to proviral DNA integration in dividing lymphocytes.
The normal immune system requires a rapid increase in the growth of lymphocytes to fight foreign invaders. On occasion, this increase in the growth of lymphocytes may be uncontrolled, which causes a tumor called lymphoma.
