First Report of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus in Stray and ‎Pet ‎Cats in Baghdad Governorate, Iraq‎

Abstract

Feline ‎immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a ‎retrovirus ‎known to ‎cause various forms of diseases in ‎pet and wild cats. FIV prevalence and its associated risk factors in Iraqi cats have heretofore been ‎‎unknown. From January 2021 to January 2022, a cross‎–‎sectional ‎study was conducted in Baghdad ‎governorate to estimate the seropositivity for FIV antibody and the potential risk factors associated with positive ‎serological results among stray and pet cats. Across 60 Baghdad governorate ‎regions (32 regions from Al‎–‎Rusafa, 28 regions from Al‎–‎Karkh), a total of 250 cat blood ‎‎samples were randomly collected from 78 pet and 172 stray cats. All cats were clinically examined, and data regarding age, sex, breed, lifestyle, health ‎status, and clinical history were obtained from cat owners, whereas ‎stray cats’ data were estimated based on their body condition and dental age. Recorded ‎data were evaluated as risk factors potentially associated with the status of FIV. ‎The presence of FIV antibodies in blood samples was determined ‎using an immunochromatographic assay. The overall FIV seroprevalence was ‎estimated at 13.20% (33/250). Out of 172 stray and 78 pet cats, there were 13.95% ‎‎(24/172), and 11.54% (9/78) positive cats for FIV antibody, ‎respectively. In addition, the highest ‎rate of cats tested positive for FIV antibodies ‎was ‎recorded in Shirazi breed (16.13%, 5/31) followed by local breed (14.43%, 28/194). ‎However, these two variables (lifestyle and breed), in addition to the sampling area variable were ‎not significantly associated with the FIV seropositive ‎status. The risk factors significantly ‎associated ‎with FIV seroprevalence were determined as ‎age, sex, and health status. Adult cats (22.4%, ‎‎32/143) ‎were more than 30 times likely to be FIV seropositive ‎‎compared to young cats. The ‎estimated odd ratio of cats’ exposure to FIV ‎infection ‎increased 1.81 times (95% CI=1.46‎–‎‎‎2.25, P<0.001) for each year of life. Risk ‎of FIV seropositive ‎status was significantly higher in male cats than ‎females. Male ‎cats were 4.79 ‎times more likely (95% CI=1.76‎–‎12.9, P<0.0019) to test ‎positive for FIV ‎antibody than females ‎‎(5/105, 4.76%). Compared to apparent healthy ‎cats, cats clinically appeared non‎–‎healthy had ‎12.51 ‎times (95% ‎CI=1.67‎–‎93.6, ‎P<0.0139) ‎higher odds of being ‎seropositive for FIV antibody.‎ This is ‎the first report on the prevalence rate of FIV infection in cats ‎in ‎Iraq, Baghdad. Our results indicated the presence of FIV among cats in Baghdad governorate ‎at a relatively high rate with a ‎higher risk of infection may be associated with adult males ‎experiencing health issues‎.