MegaELISA® FeLV Antigen is an enzyme immunoassay for the qualitative detection of Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV) antigens in plasma or serum of the cat.

Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV) is a highly contagious oncogenic RNA virus that causes both neoplastic and non-neoplastic diseases in cats world-wide.

The infection with Feline Leukaemia Viruses is transmitted most of all by secretions (e.g. saliva), excretions (e.g. feces, urine) as well as intrauterine by blood transfusion and via colostrum. As Feline Leukaemia Viruses can survive in the environment only for minutes, successful contamination only can happen during close contact to infected cats.

The course of an FeLV infection essentially depends on immune status, age as well as infection dose and virulence of the virus. Diseases caused by FeLV include lymphosarcoma, myelogenous leukaemia, thymic atrophy, non-regenerative anaemia and panleukopenia-like disease.

Because FeLV is immunosuppressive, it predisposes infected cats to a variety of secondary diseases. FeLV infected, viraemic cats normally show high concentrations of extracellular (free) p27 antigen 3 weeks post infection. p27 antigen detection is proved as the method of choice in FeLV diagnostics.

Based on highly specific monoclonal antibodies against p27 antigen, MegaELISA® FeLV Antigen is an important diagnostic tool for the evaluation of clinical suspicious cats (separation of FeLV carrier cats) and for FeLV check prior to vaccination.

Neither maternal antibodies nor a FeLV vaccination influence the test result of the MegaELISA® FeLV Antigen.