Preliminary report of the etiology of cat influenza / by J. Basil Buxton.

  • Buxton, J. B. (James Basil)
Date:
[1914?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Preliminary report of the etiology of cat influenza / by J. Basil Buxton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    PRELIMINARY REPORT OF THE ETIOLOGY OF CAT INFLUENZA. By J. Basil Buxton, f.r.c.v.s., d.v.h., Veterinary Superintendent, Wellcome Physiological Research Laboratories, Herne Hill, London, s.e. The object of this note is to characterise an organism which I believe to be hitherto undescribed, which is obtainable from cats suffering from influ¬ enza, and appears to have a causal relation to this condition. Clinicians have on several occasions called atten¬ tion to the fact that there exists among cats a disease which, while resembling the respiratory form of “ distemper ’’ in some respects, yet shows certain pathological differences, and always presents a defin¬ ite chain of symptoms. This disease has received the name of “ Cat Influenza ” ; probably because its characteristic is a respiratory catarrh. It has been noticed particularly among animals that have re¬ turned from shows, those which have been pur¬ chased from dealers, and with special frequency among cats, especially the more delicate breeds, which are kept in numbers together in a warm moist atmosphere, particularly if the ventilation is insufficient. Its occurrence among animals living in the open is extremely uncommon. My attention was first directed to this disease by observing that the majority of cats at these labora¬ tories, if kept for any length of time in the common cat house developed it. The incubation period appears to be usually from ten to fourteen days, and apparently one attack confers but slight im¬ munity. Adult cats may, and frequently do, suffer from as virulent an attack as kittens when broug 1 into an area of infection. . , ,, The onset is usually mild in character, and the animal only, has periodic sneezing attacks. There is at this stage no nasal or conjunctival discharge. In old cats, and those which have suffered from a previous attack, the infection may end here or subsequent to this the animal may have a slimy discharge from the mouth, a common indication oi sore throat, and show great difficulty in swallow¬ ing All food is refused for from four days to a week, and then there is apparently a sudden and complete recovery. In young amimats iand those suffering from a more virulent attack, on the thud dav from the onset of the sneezing there is a watery discharge from the eyes and marked photophobia the discharge later becoming muco-purulent. A aboufthis time there is also a profuse nasal dis¬ charge of a similar character, great difficulty cnai^e t 11 fnnu pven milk, is refused. fjTuallyT^ condition persists f°r^d^h infection extends, involves the Pu™° ^ * 48 hours after the first > g disposal an almost been fortunate in hav^f, ^Vhe disease was seen continuous epidemic, extremely uncommon in *11 »g« ,nd itzges It >. «—eri»g dency towards constipation.^^ ^ legiong are On post-mortem , to the respiratory found to be confine ;niPction of the mucous «»*, TS iXnnJr trachea»ith membrane of the p y v';scid and sometimes frothbyUmucus. Then the lungs are affected there SSSlnoSi, and frequently from the trachea ( Reprinted from The Veterinary Record, March U. ) or organism of which the characteristics are given below, and which, so far as I have been able to ascer¬ tain, has not been previously described. In the later stages this is rarely possible. . When the lungs are involved the organism can invariably be recovered from that situation in pure culture. In advanced cases also the organism can be recovered from the heart blood. The serum of cats suffering from this disease has been examined for agglutina¬ ting and complement binding properties with this organism, and has always shown a higher agglu¬ tinating and complement binding titre than has that from apparently healthy cats used as controls. It seems probable that the discharge from the eyes and nose in the later stages owes its muco¬ purulent character to secondary organisms, because after the onset of these symptoms it is practically impossible to recover the organism from the upper air passages in pure culture. Morphology of the Organism isolated from Cases of Cat Influenza. A short bacillus from 1.5 microns to 2.5 microns in length and about .3 of a micron in breadth, rarely found in chains except in artificial media, when they are not composed of more than three or foui elements. It shows marked brownian movement, but is not progressively motile, and is aerobic in habit. Staining Reactions. The organism does not stain readily with the ordinary aniline dyes but best with Kuhne’s methy¬ lene blue or fuchsin. Cultural Characters. Plain agar stroke. In 24 hours at 37 C. there is a moderate growth which is raised, with a moist surface and almost colourless. After 48 hours the growtn tends to spread and is greyish-white m colour, and shows a faint yellow tinge at the margin. This yellow colouration becomes more marked in older cultures, and is characteristic of the organism. . ... . Blood agar stroke. The growth is similar m appearance to that on ordinary agar, but shows a greater tendency to the yellow colouration. b Potato After 24 hours at 37° C. the growth is very meagre and scarcely visible. In 72 hours it is fairly well marked and shows a faint yellow colour. Gelatin stroke resembles the growth on agar. Gelatin stab. Growth takes place at the surface and about half of the way down the needle track, but does not show any peculiar character and the gelatin is not liquefied. . , . . * Broth. After 24 hours there is a moderate tur- hhlitv ' After 48 hours a rich growth and some sediment in the bottom of the tube. There is no 0<1°MUk is not usually coagulated at the end of 24 hours two strains, however, show a slight coagula¬ tion after from 36 to 48 hours. Experimental Infection. Tt- has been found possible to transmit the disease to healthy cats experimentally with a pure culture hv iniecting a suspension in saline into the nostrils. further communication concerning experi¬ mental infection, protection and serum diagnosis will be made at a later date.