A hitherto unknown virus could be the cause of a surprising disease that affects cats in some parts of Europe.
Life July 1, 2022
By Michael Le Page
Companion cats in some parts of Europe can sometimes develop a mysterious disease
Laurie 4593 / Shutterstock
One study suggests that the cause of a brain disease in cats that causes them to develop symptoms such as stagnation is a virus unknown until now. The pathogen is a rustrela virus and is probably carried by wooden mice.
The findings show that rustrela viruses are more diverse and widespread than previously thought, according to Kaspar Matiasek of Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich and colleagues. They write that viruses can cause neurological diseases in other mammals …