Worldwide prevalence of lentivirus infection in wild feline species: epidemiologic and phylogenetic aspects

This broad serosurvey screened many nondomestic felid species across the world for antibodies to feline immunodeficiency virus-like lentiviruses. The authors found widespread seroprevalence in free-ranging lions, pumas and several other species, while some populations and species were largely uninfected. By mapping infection patterns across the cat family and analyzing viral sequences, the study supported the idea that each felid species harbors its own long-co-evolved lentivirus lineage. It was an early, influential demonstration of how common these viruses are in the wild and helped distinguish ancient endemic infections from recent introductions. The work remains a reference point for understanding lentivirus distribution and for interpreting the apparent low pathogenicity of FIV in its natural wild felid hosts.