Isolation rates of Bordetella bronchiseptica in cats

Isolation rates give an estimate of the proportion of cats infected with Bordetella bronchiseptica at the time of sampling. However, sampling is not always a successful method of detecting infected cats, particularly carrier cats. The isolation rate, therefore, usually underestimates the number of cats infected at a particular time.

In an Italian study (Pennisi et al 1999) of 162 cats, Bordetella bronchiseptica (Bb) was isolated from 32% of cats with a history of URTD and in only 13% of cats with no history of URTD.

Bb was isolated from 5% of 526 animals (McArdle et al 1994) and 11% of all cats sampled (Binns et al 1999) in UK studies. These results are particularly significant when compared with isolation rates for FCV and FHV (26% and 5% respectively, Binns et al 2000).