Clinical and antiviral effect of a single oral dose of famciclovir administered to cats at intake to a shelter

•Feline herpesvirus type 1 (FHV-1) infection is important in shelter-housed cats.•A randomized, masked, placebo-controlled study was performed.•The study examined the efficacy of a single oral dose of 125 or 500 mg of famciclovir on FHV-1 shedding and clinical signs.•Approximately 40% were already s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	The veterinary journal (1997) Vol. 203; no. 2; pp. 199 - 204
Main Authors:	Litster, A.L., Lohr, B.R., Bukowy, R.A., Thomasy, S.M., Maggs, D.J.
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	England Elsevier Ltd 01-02-2015
Subjects:	2-Aminopurine - analogs & derivatives 2-Aminopurine - therapeutic use Animals Antiviral Agents - therapeutic use Cat Cat Diseases - drug therapy Cat Diseases - virology Cats Dose-Response Relationship, Drug Famciclovir Feline herpesvirus Female Herpesviridae Infections - drug therapy Herpesviridae Infections - veterinary Herpesviridae Infections - virology Male Penciclovir Pilot Projects Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction - veterinary Respiratory Tract Infections - drug therapy Respiratory Tract Infections - veterinary Respiratory Tract Infections - virology Shelter Varicellovirus - drug effects Viral Load - veterinary Virus Shedding Famciclovir Penciclovir Feline herpesvirus Shelter Cat
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Summary:	•Feline herpesvirus type 1 (FHV-1) infection is important in shelter-housed cats.•A randomized, masked, placebo-controlled study was performed.•The study examined the efficacy of a single oral dose of 125 or 500 mg of famciclovir on FHV-1 shedding and clinical signs.•Approximately 40% were already shedding virus at the time therapy was instituted.•Famciclovir administered at shelter intake was not efficacious. Although famciclovir is efficacious in feline herpesvirus type 1 (FHV-1)-infected cats, effects of a single dose early in disease course have not been reported. In this two part, randomized, masked, placebo controlled study, cats received a single dose of 125 mg famciclovir (n = 43) or placebo (n = 43; pilot study), or 500 mg famciclovir (n = 41) or placebo (n = 40; clinical trial) on entering a shelter. FHV-1 PCR testing was performed, bodyweight and food intake were recorded, and signs of respiratory disease were scored prior to and 7 days following treatment. FHV-1 DNA was detected in 40% of cats in both parts at study entry. In the pilot study, ocular and nasal discharge scores increased from days 1 to 7 in famciclovir and placebo treated cats. Sneezing scores increased and bodyweight decreased in famciclovir-treated cats. The proportion of cats in which FHV-1 DNA was detected increased over time in all cats in the pilot study. In the clinical trial, food intake and median clinical disease scores for nasal discharge and sneezing increased from days 1 to 7 in both groups and demeanor scores worsened in famciclovir-treated cats. The proportion of cats shedding FHV-1 DNA was greater on day 7 than on day 1 in cats receiving 500 mg famciclovir. A single dose of famciclovir (125 or 500 mg) administered at shelter intake was not efficacious in a feline population in which 40% were already shedding FHV-1.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-2 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-News-1 ObjectType-Feature-3 content type line 23
ISSN:	1090-0233 1532-2971
DOI:	10.1016/j.tvjl.2014.11.011