Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV)INTRODUCTIONFeline Immunodeficiency Virus, or also known as Feline AIDS, is a lentivirus associated with immunodeficiency disease in domestic cats (Summers, p. 233). This disease is host specific, only affecting cats that live primarily outdoors and primarily affecting intact male cats. Many clinical signs are associated with the FIV virus. Clinical signs range from mild to chronic, but some cats may remain asymptomatic, showing no symptoms for long periods of time. There are also several ways to prevent cats from being exposed to the FIV virus. Customers who own a cat should be aware of what this virus is by being aware of the clinical signs, prevention methods, how to diagnose this virus, treatment methods and the prognosis of this disease. FIV causes lifelong infection and a gradually progressive decline of the immune system. function that leads to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. FIV has a primary tropism for lymphocytes but also infects macrophages, salivary glands and the central nervous system. FIV primarily infects and progressively destroys subpopulations of T cells. After a clinically silent and prolonged latency period that may extend for years, progressive loss of T cells results in an immunodeficiency syndrome characterized by chronic infections and recurring. FIV infection is lifelong and ultimately fatal. The natural incubation period for FIV is on average five years. (Sherding, p. 127) Manifestations include chronic weight loss, opportunistic infections, chronic inflammatory diseases, and increased risk of malignant neoplasia (Sherding, p. 126). Feline immunodeficiency virus is transmitted primarily through aggressive bites and is present in...... middle of article......n 50% remained asymptomatic during the 2-year follow-up period ( Sherding, p. 131 )To sum it all up, clients who own a cat should be aware of what this virus is by being aware of the clinical signs, methods of prevention, how to diagnose this virus, methods of treatment and prognosis of this disease. Sources cited: • Birchard, SJ and Sherding, RG (2006). Feline immunodeficiency virus. Saunders Handbook of Small Animal Practice (3rd ed., pp. 126-131). St. Louis, MO: Saunders Elsevier.• Greene, C.E. (1998). Feline immunodeficiency virus infection. Infectious diseases of dogs and cats (2nd ed., pp. 84-92). Philadelphia: WB Saunders. • Summers, A. (2007). Feline immunodeficiency virus. Common Pet Diseases (2nd ed., pp. 233-235). St. Louis, Missouri: Mosby.Ex: Greene (1998) said…”…. (p. 84)Statement (Greene, 1998, p... 84)