Five hundred eighty-five serum samples obtained between 1980 and 1981 from a diverse population of cats were tested by use of an indirect immunoperoxidase assay for antibodies to feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). Results of 14 of the samples were positive (prevalence, 2.4%). The FIV-positive cats were markedly older than the overall population and frequently were coinfected (57%) with Toxoplasma gondii. The Toxoplasma titers of the FIV-positive cats were significantly (P less than 0.03) higher than those of the FIV-negative cats. The FIV-positive cats were not coinfected with FeLV. Our findings suggested that FIV-associated immunosuppression may be a factor in active Toxoplasma infection in adult cats.
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Witt et al. (1989) studied this question.