A rapid, molecular feline respiratory panel diagnostic is being developed

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Feline calicivirus

An innovative feline respiratory panel is being developed through a partnership between Alveo Technologies Inc in Alameda, California, and the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI in Germany. The panel will be designed to simultaneously test for feline influenza, feline calicivirus (FCV) and feline herpes virus-1 (FHV) infections.¹

Diagnostic testing is key to identifying the pathogen causing infection in feline patients. Diagnosis cannot be achieved based only on clinical signs, since respiratory pathogens share some of the same signs of upper respiratory infection.²

According to Alveo, many of the current diagnostic tests require samples of these pathogens to be sent to a laboratory with results available up to a week later. Tests with more rapid results lack precision and may provide false negative results.¹

The new respiratory panel in development will be compatible with Alveo’s proprietary technology IntelliSense, a rapid, molecular diagnostic platform. According to Shaun Holt, CEO of Alveo, this platform is flexible and provides rapid, high precision results.¹

Dirk Kuhlmeier, PhD, head of the diagnostics department at Fraunhofer, said the institute was impressed with Alveo’s core technology. He noted that the IntelliSense platform has the ability to provide “highly accurate results for multiple pathogens” in minutes. “[The platform] opens up opportunities for vets to provide much earlier treatment, for shelters to increase capacity and for pet owners to get an almost immediate diagnosis for their sick pet," Kuhlmeier said in a news release.¹

Rapid, precise test results are key to treating felines early in their disease states, since treatment is often delayed while pet owners and animal care providers wait for a diagnosis. This is especially important for cats in boarding, shelter, and breeding environments, as these viral infections can quickly spread in high-density settings.¹

Contagious feline respiratory infections are some of the most difficult to manage and prevent, as well as the most common cause of illness, for cats in shelters, according to a study from the University of Florida in Gainesville. These infections drain shelter resources—treatment costs, care giver time, and staff morale. Additionally, holding felines for treatment and recovery increases the number of animal care days until adoption, which affects a shelter’s holding and contributes to potential crowding.²

A rapid precise test with the ability to detect feline influenza, FCV and FHV infections would enable veterinary teams to provide faster results and earlier care to sick patients. It would also enable shelters to open up more space and increase capacity because rapid diagnosis would allow earlier isolation to prevent the spread of disease without the need to preemptively quarantine cats for weeks, according to Alveo.¹

"There's so much potential for this technology to speed detection of veterinary, agricultural and human pathogens, improving animal health, agricultural productivity and human well-being,” Holt said in a news release.¹ “We're proud to partner with such a well-respected organization as Fraunhofer and look forward to developing this feline disease panel.”

Additionally, Alveo is developing tests for avian influenza; distemper; and swine flu, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome and porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, as well as other pathogens in conjunction with other partners.¹

References

1. Alveo Technologies and Fraunhofer partner to develop first-of-its-kind rapid, molecular feline respiratory panel diagnostic. News release. Alveo Technologies. December 10, 2024. Accessed December 10, 2024. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/alveo-technologies-and-fraunhofer-partner-to-develop-first-of-its-kind-rapid-molecular-feline-respiratory-panel-diagnostic-302323636.html
2. Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program. Feline respiratory infections in animal shelters. University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. July 2018. Accessed December 10, 2024. https://sheltermedicine.vetmed.ufl.edu/files/2017/01/Feline-respiratory-infections-in-shelters.2018.pdf