Research overview: aggression-driven transmission of feline immunodeficiency virus in wild cats

Unlike many viruses spread by casual contact, feline immunodeficiency virus is transmitted chiefly through biting during fights, tying its epidemiology to felid social behavior. This overview surveys how territorial disputes, mating conflicts and male competition drive FIV transmission in lions, pumas and other cats, and how this shapes age- and sex-specific infection patterns. It examines why solitary, combative species nonetheless maintain high prevalence, the implications for using viral genetics to track host contact networks, and contrasts with the mother-to-offspring and grooming routes seen for other pathogens. The synthesis connects behavioral ecology to disease transmission. It aims to help readers understand that the spread of FIV is inseparable from how wild cats interact, making the virus both a health factor and a marker of social dynamics.