Work

A comprehensive analysis of the prevalence and influencing factors of felid alphaherpesvirus-1 (FHV-1) in mainland China from 2017 to 2024

Year: 2026

Type: article

Study designs: Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis

Abstract: Importance: Feline herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1) is a highly contagious pathogen responsible for common feline upper respiratory diseases.Understanding its prevalence and associated risk factors in mainland China is crucial for developing effective prevention and control strategies, particularly in high-risk populations such as kittens and susceptible breeds.Objectives: This study examined the infection rate of FHV-1 in mainland China from 2017 to 2024 and the risk factors through meta-analysis.Methods: Data from 30 studies, published between 2017 and 2024, comprising 17,108 samples retrieved from five databases, were analyzed.A random-effects model was used to calculate the infection rate with a variance-stabilizing double-arcsine transformation.Results: The overall infection rate after the arcsine transformation was 23% (95% confidence interval [CI], 18%-29%).Substantial heterogeneity among studies was noted (χ 2 = 2,005.47;p < 0.001; I 2 = 98.6%).Subgroup analysis identified age and breed as the primary determinants of FHV-1 prevalence.Kittens (≤ 6 months) exhibited the highest prevalence at 51% (95% CI, 26%-75%), significantly surpassing other age groups.Among breeds, Exotic Shorthairs showed the highest susceptibility at 63% (95% CI, 52%-74%).Furthermore, the infection rate varied significantly by region (p = 0.021), with the highest prevalence in the north (29%), followed by the south (23%) and the northwest (17%).In contrast, no significant temporal trend was observed from 2017 to 2024 (p = 0.742), indicating a stable disease burden during the study period.Conclusions and Relevance: FHV-1 prevalence in mainland China is driven by host biological traits and geographic factors.Heightened vulnerability in kittens and brachycephalic breeds underscores the roles of immature immunity and physiological structure in susceptibility.Significant regional variation suggests that environmental or management factors exacerbate circulation.These findings advocate for precision prevention: prioritizing early-life immunization and monitoring for predisposed breeds, while implementing regionally tailored protocols to address the uneven epidemiological landscape.

Source: Journal of Veterinary Science

DOI: 10.4142/jvs.25184

Authors: Jiayu Shi, Huiling Zhang, Xinyuan Liu, Xueping Zhang, Hongyu Zhou, Tangjie Zhang

Institution: Yangzhou University

Language: English

Topic: Animal Virus Infections Studies

Subfield: Animal Science and Zoology

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $300