BACKGROUND Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is a serious viral infection in cats. FeLV is found in some tissues, such as spleen, lymph nodes and epithelial tissues. However, there is controversy about the organ in which the virus can be reliably detected in infected cats. The purpose of this study was to determine the level of viral infection in hemolymphatic tissues, including blood, bone marrow and spleen by reverse-transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). RESULTS A total of 31 cats with clinical signs of FeLV infection associated with at least a single lineage hematologic cytopenia were included in this study. Peripheral blood, bone marrow and spleen samples were obtained from each cat. Complete blood counts, biochemical tests, and a rapid test to detect FeLV p27 antigen in blood samples of cats were performed. Of 31 cats, 9 had anemia alone, 4 had thrombocytopenia alone, 2 had neutropenia alone, 9 had bicytopenia of anemia and thrombocytopenia, 3 had bicytopenia of anemia and neutropenia, and 4 had pancytopenia. FeLV RNA was then detected by RT-qPCR in the whole blood, bone marrow and spleen. Viral RNA copy numbers were detected in all cats by RT-qPCR whereas 24 out of 31 cats were positive for the serum FeLV antigen. We detected a significantly greater number of viral RNA in the spleen compared with the whole blood and bone marrow. CONCLUSION Spleen is a site where FeLV is most frequently detected in cats with hematologic cytopenias.

中文翻译：

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血液学性血细胞减少症猫的淋巴组织中FeLV负荷的比较测量。

背景技术猫白血病病毒（FeLV）是猫中的一种严重的病毒感染。FeLV存在于一些组织中，例如脾脏，淋巴结和上皮组织。但是，关于在感染的猫中可以可靠地检测出病毒的器官存在争议。这项研究的目的是通过逆转录酶定量聚合酶链反应（RT-qPCR）确定包括血液，骨髓和脾在内的淋巴组织的病毒感染水平。结果总共有31只猫有FeLV感染的临床体征，至少与单个血统血细胞减少症有关。从每只猫获得外周血，骨髓和脾脏样品。进行了全血细胞计数，生化测试和快速测试，以检测猫血样中的FeLV p27抗原。在31只猫中，仅贫血9例，仅血小板减少症4例，仅中性粒细胞减少症2例，贫血和血小板减少症2血细胞减少症，贫血和中性粒细胞减少症2血细胞减少症，全血细胞减少症4。然后，通过RT-qPCR在全血，骨髓和脾脏中检测到FeLV RNA。通过RT-qPCR在所有猫中检测到病毒RNA拷贝数，而31只猫中有24只血清FeLV抗原呈阳性。与全血和骨髓相比，我们在脾脏中检测到明显更多的病毒RNA。结论脾脏是血液学性血细胞减少症猫中最常检测到FeLV的部位。然后，通过RT-qPCR在全血，骨髓和脾脏中检测到FeLV RNA。通过RT-qPCR在所有猫中检测到病毒RNA拷贝数，而31只猫中有24只血清FeLV抗原呈阳性。与全血和骨髓相比，我们在脾脏中检测到明显更多的病毒RNA。结论脾脏是血液学性血细胞减少症猫中最常检测到FeLV的部位。然后，通过RT-qPCR在全血，骨髓和脾脏中检测到FeLV RNA。通过RT-qPCR在所有猫中检测到病毒RNA拷贝数，而31只猫中有24只血清FeLV抗原呈阳性。与全血和骨髓相比，我们在脾脏中检测到明显更多的病毒RNA。结论脾脏是血液学性血细胞减少症猫中最常检测到FeLV的部位。