Feline infectious peritonitis. An immune-mediated coronaviral vasculitis.

Mainly through studies inducing experimental infection of susceptible cats, significant advances have recently been made in our understanding of the pathogenesis of FIP. Much of this knowledge should not presently be directly extrapolated to field cases of FIP, because the route of infection and challenge dose and strain of virus may be significantly different. Advances in the prevention and treatment of FIP will depend greatly on clarification of the exact nature of the several coronaviruses affecting cats and the role of cell-mediated immunity in resistance to FIPV.