FELINE INFECTIOUS PERITONITIS (FIP): AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW AND CURRENT OVERVIEW OF THE DISEASE

Abstract

Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) is one of the most complex and multifaceted conditions in feline medicine. Caused by a mutation of the feline enteric coronavirus (FCoV), a common and regularly subclinical infection in cats, FIP presents itself when genetic modifications of the virus and a disordered immune response allow its systemic dissemination, leading to pyogranulomatous lesions. Factors such as high viral load, stress, high population density, and immunological predisposition increase the risk of disease progression. Clinical manifestations can be effusive, non-effusive, or mixed, ranging from protein-rich cavity effusions to nonspecific signs such as persistent fever, weight loss, jaundice, and neurological or ocular manifestations. This clinical heterogeneity makes diagnosis complex, demonstrating the need for the integration of clinical signs, epidemiological history, laboratory tests, imaging analyses, and molecular tests such as RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry, and effusion analysis, even though no single test demonstrates absolute sensitivity or specificity. This study is an integrative review of the scientific literature, employing as a research method the selection of original articles, reviews, clinical guidelines, and recent publications on FIP, available in databases such as PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar, with an emphasis on the last decade. A synthesis was made on the pathogenesis, epidemiology, clinical signs, diagnostic methods, therapeutic advances, and preventive strategies of the current state of knowledge about the disease. Currently, treatment with antivirals, mainly GS-441524, has shown relevant efficacy, enabling remission rates greater than 80% when applied appropriately. However, obstacles such as cost, regulation, and access continue to limit the expansion of this therapy. Supportive management is fundamental, and prevention is an indispensable control tool, emphasizing rigorous hygiene, stress reduction, population control, and quarantine of new individuals in group settings. Finally, FIP remains a clinical and scientific challenge, demanding continuous updating on pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment. The combination of updated scientific knowledge, correct management practices, and access to effective therapies has made it possible to transform the prognosis of the disease, previously considered invariably fatal, corroborating the relevance of integrated strategies to provide health and well-being for felines.