International Journal of Molecular Veterinary Research 2024, Vol.14, No.1, 1-8 http://animalscipublisher.com/index.php/ijmvr 4 In multi-cat environments, such as shelters or catteries, the complexity of FCV management significantly increases. In such situations, in addition to individual treatment for infected cats, group-level control measures must be implemented. This includes effective isolation policies, maintaining environmental hygiene, regular disinfection, and promoting a comprehensive vaccination schedule. Through these comprehensive measures, the risk of disease spread within the population can be effectively reduced. 3 Prevention and Comprehensive Management Strategies 3.1 Types, efficacy, and limitations of vaccines Vaccines for feline calicivirus (FCV) mainly come in two types: inactivated vaccines and attenuated live vaccines. Inactivated vaccines are generally considered safer but may require boosters to enhance immune effectiveness. Attenuated live vaccines can induce a stronger immune response, but safety concerns may arise in very rare cases. Although FCV vaccines cannot provide 100% protection, they significantly reduce the risk of infection and alleviate symptoms post-infection. The primary goal of vaccines is to prevent severe diseases caused by FCV, and their effectiveness against viral variants may be limited. Due to the high genetic diversity of FCV, existing vaccines may not offer sufficient protection against all prevalent strains. Additionally, the effect of vaccines on clearing or reducing virus shedding in carriers is limited. Therefore, even vaccinated cats may potentially become carriers of the virus (Bergmann et al., 2019). 3.2 Control measures (e.g., isolation, disinfection) Upon detecting FCV infection in a cat population, infected cats should be promptly isolated from healthy cats (Figure 2). The isolation period should last at least for a period of time after clinical symptoms completely disappear. Furthermore, veterinarians and cat caregivers should take appropriate personal protective measures, such as changing gloves and clothing, to minimize the risk of virus transmission when handling different cats. Figure 2 Isolation of sick cats (Source: this hospital) FCV is relatively stable in the environment, emphasizing the importance of environmental disinfection. Regularly clean cat living areas, including food and water containers, sleeping mats, and toys, using effective disinfectants (such as chlorides or peroxides). Care should be taken in selecting and using disinfectants to avoid health risks to cats. 3.3 Health management for cat populations Regular health checks for cat populations (Dávila et al., 2018) and early identification and isolation of infected cats are crucial for controlling FCV spread. Besides visual and behavioral observations, routine physical examinations and laboratory tests (such as blood and urine analyses) are essential.
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