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The site is divided into several sections including sections on microbiology, epidemiology, prevalence, pathogenesis and clinical information. The microbiology section gives full advice on diagnosing bordetella infections in cats. The clinical information section describes the clinical signs associated with the disease (including sneezing, nasal discharge, coughing, fever etc) and the similarities with other causes of feline upper respiratory tract disease (URTD) such as feline herpes virus (FHV), feline calici virus (FCV) and Chlamydophila felis (chlamydia psittaci). This section also evaluates methods of treatment (including data on antibiotic resistance) and the availability of vaccination (intranasal Bordetella vaccines for cats) to help prevent the disease.
The epidemiological section discusses the key risk-factors involved in infection and how the disease can be particularly associated with breeding catteries, rescue shelters, cat exhibitions, multi-cat households and research colonies. Consideration is also given to the risk of disease to the average household cat, especially during stressful times such as kittenhood and parturition (kitten birth) and the role played by carrier cats that chronically shed the bacteria.
In the prevalence section, the overall incidence of the disease is evaluated using information gathered from many studies conducted around the world.
The pathogenesis section gives an up-to-date summary of our scientific understanding of how bordetella (including bordetella pertussis and parapertussis) cause disease. Consideration is also given to the role of various virulence factors such as fimbriae (Fim), pertactin (Prn), bifunctional adenylate cyclase/haemolysin, dermonecrotic toxin (DNT), tracheal cytotoxin (TCT) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and their regulation by the BvgAS locus.
Finally there is also a FAQ and a full list of references on feline bordetellosis including some abstracts and full articles and a section on links to other feline respiratory disease sites such as that of the Feline Advisory Bureau and those of cat breeders and fanciers worldwide.
