Viral Vector
The primary modes of FIV transmission are deep bite wounds and scratches, where the infected cat’s blood-tainted saliva enters the other cat’s bloodstream. FIV may also be transmitted from pregnant females to their offspring in utero, however this vertical transmission is considered to be relatively rare based on the small numbers of FIV-infected kittens and adolescents .
Risk factors for infection are being of the male sex, adulthood, and outdoor access. One case study conducted in São Paulo found that 75% of the FIV-infected cats were males. Higher rates of infection in males than females makes sense because the primary means of transmission is from biting and most instances of biting in cats occur in fights over territory an activity more common for males than females.
FIV has potential to be used as a viral vector for gene therapy. Like other lentivirus vectors, FIV vectors integrate into the chromosome of the host which provides long-term heritable gene expression. Furthermore the vectors can be used on dividing and non-dividing cells. FIV vectors could potentially be used to treat neurological disorders like Parkinson's disease, and have already been used for transfer RNAi which may find use as gene therapy for cancer.
Read more about this topic: Feline Immunodeficiency Virus