Research overview: the cheetah feline infectious peritonitis outbreak and genetic uniformity

A devastating outbreak of feline infectious peritonitis in a captive cheetah facility, with mortality far exceeding that seen in domestic cats, became a landmark case linking genetic uniformity to disease severity. This overview surveys the outbreak and its interpretation, in which the cheetah’s exceptionally low genetic diversity, particularly at immune loci, was implicated in allowing a normally mild coronavirus to cause widespread fatal disease. It examines the contrast with domestic cat populations, where FIP strikes only a minority, and the implications for managing genetically depleted species in captivity. The synthesis connects conservation genetics to infectious disease outcomes. It aims to help readers understand why this episode remains a cornerstone example of how monomorphic populations can be uniquely vulnerable to pathogens that other hosts tolerate.