What is Feline Coronavirus (FCoV)?
Coronavirus (FCoV) is a virus that infects cats and primarily infects the cat's intestines, causing mild intestinal symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting.
Feline coronavirus infection usually occurs in cats younger than 3 years of age, especially those aged 4-16 months.
Most cats infected with feline coronavirus will only experience mild or no symptoms. Some cats may experience a mutation of the virus that causes feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), which is known as Feline Infectious Peritonitis Virus (FIPV). FIPV infection can cause a severe systemic inflammatory response, resulting in lesions of organs such as the peritoneum, thoracic cavity, liver, and kidneys. Causes a severe systemic inflammatory response.

What is Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP)?
FIP is a serious illness caused by FIPV. FCoV mutations produce FIPV, which causes an abnormal response of the immune system, causing systemic inflammation and organ damage. FIP is divided into wet and dry types.
Wet FIP accounts for about 60-70% of cases of FIP and manifests as an effusion of fluid in the abdominal or pleural cavity, resulting in swelling accompanied by symptoms such as diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, fever, and dyspnea.
Dry FIP accounts for about 20-30% of FIP cases, which is manifested as nodular lesions in organs, mainly affecting the liver, kidneys, and central nervous system, accompanied by symptoms such as emaciation, shortness of breath, jaundice, opaculous eyes, and abnormal behavior.
The highest incidence age group is 3 months to 2 years of age, followed by cats over 10 years of age, which may be related to immune system development and functional status.
The best way to prevent FIP is to clean the cat in a group environment, provide good nutrition, and strengthen the immune system. The VETIVD™ FCoV-Ag Immunofluorescence Quantitative Antigen Test Kit allows you to quickly detect viral infectivity in cats and avoid contact with other cats.

What symptoms should you look out for?
Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) usually presents with more severe clinical symptoms and complications than feline coronavirus (FCoV) infection. Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) often causes symptoms such as lethargy, decreased appetite, fluctuating fever, dehydration, diarrhoea, weight loss, and increased urination. As the disease progresses, feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) can be divided into two types: exudative and non-exudative.
In exudative FIP or wet peritonitis, the monocytes carried by the virus attach to the walls of the venules and release inflammatory cytokines, resulting in endothelial damage that allows protein fluid to leak into the body cavity. Thus, the main symptom of exudative FIP is painless abdominal swelling with fluid fluctuations that can be felt on palpation.
Diagnosis and treatment of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP).
Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a serious infectious disease caused by infection with a coronavirus and has a high mortality rate. The clinical manifestations of the disease can be divided into dry and wet forms, and the course of the disease may be sudden onset or slow over several weeks. Symptoms range from loss of appetite and poor mental state to persistent high fever, jaundice, and fluid accumulation in the abdomen.

Here is a case description of the disease:
The cat was fed by its owner and was 8 months old. The owner of the cat has noticed that the cat has lost its appetite in recent days. The cat lives freely in the home and has had contact with other cats. No vaccinations and deworming.
Blood biochemistry tests

The biochemical results showed that bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase, high total protein, low blood glucose and potassium ions, and the proportion of albumin globulin was 0.3. Elevated bilirubin in exudative FIP is generally not related to elevated liver enzyme levels or cholangitis, but is caused by red blood cell destruction and decreased clearance of hemoglobulin degradation products.
Use feline coronavirus antibody test
Rapid tests to assist in the diagnosis of feline coronavirus (FCoV) include antigen- and antibody-based tests. A rapid antigen test for the detection of feline coronavirus (FCoV) using a rectal swab collection method, such as the VETIVD™ FCoV-Ag Immunofluorescence Quantitative Antigen Test Kit, is performed as follows.
Insert the swab head into the cat's rectum and rotate it 3-5 times to collect 1/2-2/3 of the swab head. Put the rectal swab into the FCoV-Ag sample diluent, stir thoroughly, mix, and centrifuge (recommended speed: 3000~5000rpm) for 1 minute. Aspirate 100 μl of the centrifuged sample supernatant and add to well (S) of the test card. Select the "Quick Test" mode, and after 10 minutes of reaction, insert the card into the card slot of the instrument (one end of the water injection hole faces the card slot), push it all the way, and click the "Start Test" option. Select "Rectal Swab" as the sample type. The instrument displays and prints the results.

Immunofluorescence quantitative antigen detection FCOV-Ag test, the test value was 86 (+++), and the diagnosis result was coronal strong positive.

The course of treatment
Cats receive infusion therapy to correct electrolyte imbalances, protect the liver, and replenish albumin, along with antibiotics to prevent secondary infections and interferons to fight viruses. After the first day, the cat's mental state improved, its appetite increased, and its body temperature dropped to normal.

The next day, the treatment was repeated and a feline coronavirus antibody test was performed, which showed a positive 62 (++) coronavirus. The mental state and appetite improved, and at night, the cat's body temperature rose again to 39.3 degrees Celsius, but in the morning the body temperature returned to normal without medication.On the third day, the VETIVD™ FCoV-Ag immunofluorescence quantitative antigen test was used again, and the result was 14(+) coronavirus, which was weakly positive, and the cat's body temperature was normal,

On the fourth day, X-rays showed a build-up of stool and a small amount of gas in the colorectum.

On the fifth day, the cat's appetite begins to rise, and there is no drowsiness and poor spirits. On the same day, the VETIVD™ FCoV-Ag immunofluorescence quantitative antigen detection reagent was used, and the test results showed a weak positive 14(+) corona. Insist on supplementing cats with albumin and antibiotics to prevent secondary infections.

After a week of treatment, the cat's body temperature was normal and no recurrent high fever occurred, and a virus test was performed, which showed that the virus was still present. The cat owner finally listened to the doctor's advice, used the VETIVD™ FCoV-Ag immunofluorescence quantitative antigen detection reagent every day to detect the coronavirus situation of the cat, used the drug rationally, and paid attention to the cleanliness and hygiene of the cat, reduced fecal pollution, kept the environment clean, and regularly cleaned and disinfected the litter box. With the implementation of treatment and preventive measures, the cat's health gradually recovers.

The importance of regular VETIVD™ FCoV-Ag immunofluorescence antigen assays

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a disease caused by feline intestinal coronavirus (FECV). FECV is mainly transmitted through contact with infected feces and mainly affects cats younger than 3 years of age, especially those aged 4-16 months. Diseases are divided into wet and dry types.
The wet form presents with a high protein exudate in the thoracic and abdominal cavities, which may cause dyspnea and abdominal enlargement, usually fatal within two months. The dry form mainly causes pyogranulomatous lesions of the organs, and cats may present with symptoms such as emaciation, cloudy eyes, visual disturbances, and neurological symptoms. Cats with FIP often present with chronic non-regenerative anemia and leukocytosis.
In addition to the use of drugs GC376 and GS441, prevention is particularly important. Perform the VETIVD™ FCoV-Ag immunofluorescence quantitative antigen detection reagent on a regular basis and consider vaccination to prevent feline coronavirus infection. Keep the environment clean, clean up the litter box, control the number of cats, and get your cat tested for coronavirus antibodies regularly.
VETIVD™ FCoV-Ag is a rapid antibody test for the detection of feline coronavirus infection with high diagnostic efficiency and time and effort savings compared to blood biochemistry and imaging tests (e.g., X-rays). Prevention and timely detection are essential for the management of FIP.