SUMMARY
Bone marrow fibroblast colony-forming units (cfu-f) were evaluated in cats experimentally infected with different isolates of FeLV. Cats infected with the Kawa-kami-Theilen isolate of FeLV (FeLV-KT) had progressive decrease in the number of cfu-f at 2, 4, and 6 weeks after infection. The number of cfu-f in FeLV-KT-infected cats ranged from 38 to 70% of the preinoculation cfu-f value. Of 3 cats with FeLV-KT-induced suppression of cfu-f, 2 developed fatal nonregenerative anemia. Cats infected with the Rickard isolate of FeLV (FeLV-R) had more moderate decrease in the number of cfu-f at 2, 4, and 6 weeks after infection. The number of cfu-f in FeLV-R-infected cats ranged from 62 to 82% of the preinoculation cfu-f value. The FeLV-R-infected cats did not become anemic.
