Dr. Julia Beatty is back with here extra-ordinary story about hepadna viruses in cats.

Hepadnavirus infections in cats are caused by the feline hepadnavirus, a member of the Hepadnaviridae family, which includes viruses like the human hepatitis B virus. Discovered relatively recently, feline hepadnavirus primarily affects the liver. It is thought to contribute to liver disease in cats, such as hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer).The virus has a unique life cycle, involving reverse transcription to replicate its DNA. Though not yet fully understood, research suggests that feline hepadnavirus may lead to chronic liver issues in infected cats, similar to hepatitis B in humans. Symptoms may include jaundice, lethargy, weight loss, and gastrointestinal upset, but specific diagnosis requires advanced molecular testing.Treatment focuses on managing liver disease symptoms, as there is no specific antiviral treatment available for this virus in cats yet.