Clinical overview of feline immunodeficiency virus

F eline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) was first isolated in 1986 from a large , multiple-cat household located in Petaluma, California . l The discovery was precipitated by the cattery owner's recognition of an immunodeficiency-like syndrome among a group of FeL V -negative cats. Originally called feline T -lymphotropic lentivirus, the new feline agent has since been renamed to conform to current nomenclature regarding immunodeficiency-indUCing lentiviruses. Included among these viruses is the human immunodefiCiency virus (HIV), the cause of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) in people.