Antikroppsstatus mot kattpest hos lejonen i Kolmårdens Djurpark
The lions at Kolmårdens zoo are vaccinated against Feline Panleukopenivirus
(FPV). In 1994 there was an outbreak among the lions at the zoo of FPV disease.
A retrospective study has been made to measure the antibodytiters in vaccinated
lions and lions that lived during the outbreak. An ImmunoPeroxidase Monolayer
Assay (IPMA) was used to analyze the titers in the sera from the lions.
Lions were divided into five groups. Group 1, 2 and 3 contained lions vaccinated
one, two and three times respectively (a total of 40 animals). The lions of Group 4
were born in 2004 (six lioncubs) and were vaccinated according to different
regimes and the changes in antibodytiters were followed as respose to vaccination
during the spring 2005. Group 5 consisted of twelve lions that were alive during
disease outbreak 1994. The antibody response post vaccination was dependent on
the age of the lion at time of vaccination. Lions younger than 23 w. when
vaccinated mounted a lower antibody response than the ones that were older than
23 w.
Lions that had been naturally infected had high titers, which still were high eight
years after the outbreak. Lions tested as long as four years post vaccination still
showed antibody titers towards FPV.