Stefania, Most vets us an in house test for felv/fiv - the snap test. The felv/fiv snap test is generally a pretty good test. (By the way, it does not utilize PCR, instead it is an ELISA test). It is certainly possible, however, to get a false positive result.
In general, you can repeat the test (usually in approximately four to six weeks). I would recommend this. If it is again positive, you can send the blood out to a lab to have an IFA - immunoflouresence assay - done. If this is also positive it is highly likely it is a true positive. As for the use of PCR, I do not think that is currently used for felv detection. It is possible that I am simply not familiar with its use in that way. I have to suggest to you, that it is a somewhat strange history for feline leukemia. I am not certain I fully understand the current problems she is having but I would remain suspect about the accuracy of the test at this point. My greatest recommendation is to repeat the test. Good luck, Jenny ---- "la_st...@tin.it" <la_st...@tin.it> wrote: > Hello, > I have a cat who is 9 years old (born apr 2000) and she has > always been in good health condition and never been to the veterinary > (except for her vaccines, yearly). > She lived the first two years in an > apartment with no contacts with other cats, then we changed home and > she got the vaccine for leukemia prior to go out and meet other cats. > She is a very strange cat and does not like to meet other cats or > animals: she is afraid of contact. She is also spayed. > > This january, > she began to have problems: her tongue was strange and her nose also. > She doesn't have fever or other symptoms, but her hair is always dirty > because she doesn't wash it. > > My vet gave her amoxicillin for 3 weeks, > but nothing changed. We finally decided to test her blood and the > results are ok, BUT she is FELV+ (FIV-). > I cannot understand HOW this > could happen, because every year she gets her vaccine and she does not > interact with other cats! Now, she has also dermatitis. > I'd like to > know if this PCR test is absolutely reliable or not. > > Besides, isn't it > strange that my cat developed the illness at the age of 9? > Could it be > that she is now in the viremic phase and could recover in the future > and the virus remain latent? > > I hope you understand. Unfortunately I'm > not English mother tongue and it's difficult to explain everything > well. > > Thanks, > Stefania > > _______________________________________________ > Felvtalk mailing list > Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org _______________________________________________ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
