Deadly cat virus outbreak.

A viral disease that was thought to have disappeared has caused the death of scores of cats in Sydney in recent weeks, according to investigations into the outbreak . DNA sequencing by Professor Vanessa Barrs from the University of Sydney School of Veterinary Science and Marie Bashir Institute, has confirmed that the strain of virus causing the outbreak in Australia is feline panleukopenia virus (FPV). It coincides with several large outbreaks of parvovirus in dogs in NSW, around the Shoalhaven area as well as the Riverina region and Tamworth. The symptoms of FPV are fever, lethargy and loss of appetite which is usually followed by vomiting and diarrhoea,but in severe cases cats can die suddenly without exhibiting any warning signs The .disease in cats is caused by parvoviruses, which are small DNA viruses,but the main one is feline panleukopenia virus. The parvoviruses that infect dogs can also cause the disease in cats,so petlovers with cats and dogs must ensure vaccination. FPV, also known as feline enteritis, is a deadly viral infection of cats that was first discovered more than 100 years ago,but with vaccinations the disease virtually disappeared from Australia in the mid 1970s. There is no risk for humans as the disease is not zoonotic and cannot be passed on to them. source.