Τα τελευταία δεδομένα για την διάγνωση και θεραπεία της λοιμώδους περιτονίτιδας της γάτας (FIP)

by Maria Lyraki, DVM MSc 

Feline coronavirus (FCoV) is the causative agent of the serious disease of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). FCoV has a cell tropism for the enterocytes and usually causes clinical signs of enteritis or no clinical signs at all. 

Being an RNA virus though, FCoV has a high level of genetic variation due to frequent errors (mutations) during RNA replication. The hypothesis is that these mutations can occasionally facilitate the switching of cell tropism from a mostly mild enteric (less-virulent) FCoV pathotype to an FIP-associated FCoV pathotype. 

When FIP develops, the replicating FCoV in monocytes causes damage to the blood vessel walls, allowing plasma to leak out of the vessels; this can appear clinically as an effusion in the abdominal, thoracic and/or pericardial cavities (wet FIP form). In more chronic forms of FIP, granulomas result on affected organs (dry FIP form). Dry FIP can involve any organ, including nervous system (neurological form) and eyes (ocular form). 

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is considered fatal unless treated promptly with the appropriate antiviral treatment. Various antiviral drugs have shown promising results in vitro. The mainstay of treatment at present is the nucleoside analogue GS-441524 and its prodrug remdesivir with multiple studies showing clinical efficacy ranging from 81.3 - 88.6% and no relapse for the responders up to one year after treatment. The nucleoside analogue molnupiravir has also been used with success. The protease inhibitor GC376 also appears effective in the injectable form, although oral effectiveness appears to be inferior to GS-4415249. 

These antiviral treatments act quickly, with fever and other clinical signs often improving markedly within a few days, allowing the clinician to attempt trial treatment of cats in which FIP is very likely but cannot be confirmed. Most studies have used 84-day treatment courses, but evidence has now been published that shorter courses of 42 days may be equally effective for cats with effusions; such shorter courses will enable improved access to treatment for cost and/or compliance reasons.

Despite the significant progress in treatment that has happened over the last few years, FIP remains a challenging disease for the clinicians for several reasons: 

1. It is often difficult to obtain a definitive diagnosis. Although effusive and non-effusive forms of FIP are described, there is much overlap between these forms and the clinical signs of FIP can change over time. Invasive diagnostic tests are often needed to secure diagnosis, but they carry a risk of the patient deteriorating. 

2. The antiviral treatment is often expensive, not licensed and not available legally in many countries. Some countries have access to veterinary compounded antiviral products whereas others have access to antivirals developed for humans such as remdesivir or molnupiravir. In others, owners source antivirals themselves online, but the quality, purity, and concentration of active ingredients in these preparations is usually unknown, and can be variable, although they are often effective.

3. The ideal drug dose and duration of treatment is not certain yet. It is commonly believed that the neurological and ocular cases may need higher dosages due to the blood-brain and blood-ocular barriers. 

4. Acute phase proteins are an integral part of treatment monitoring. Nevertheless, they are not specific for FIP and clear guidelines as to how they can guide treatment decisions are lacking. 

5. Since the outbreak of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) in Cyprus, caused by FCoV-23, a new combination of cat and dog coronaviruses, there is urgent need to understand modes of transmission and treatment options for "traditional" FIP versus FCoV-23, as new or similar outbreaks may occur world-wide. 

Considering the challenges above, the upcoming lecture will further focus on clinical FIP case scenarios. The cases that will be presented will serve as a practical guide to diagnosis, treatment and monitoring that can help individualising drug dose and treatment duration on a case-basis. Furthermore, the attendant will gain an insight into novel monitoring tools that are expected to revolutionize FIP treatment soon, such as Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) and viral load assessment.

TDM involves measuring blood concentrations of the active metabolite of the antiviral drug, such as EIDD-1931 and GS-441524. This will allow for a greater understanding of how individual cats metabolise these drugs to avoid underdosing as a reason of treatment failure (because of poor absorption and/or rapid excretion in urine). Furthermore, certain antiviral drugs such as molnupiravir have been associated with dose-dependent toxicity and TDM will ensure that overdose is avoided. Optimising drug treatment should improve the prognosis for individual cats. 

Viral load assessment involves measuring FCoV load by PCR with quantification in blood, faeces, fluid or tissue before, during and after treatment. This will show how quickly these drugs clear FCoV from blood and stools, helping to reduce new infections and to tailor the duration of treatment for the individual patient.

Πηγή: NEW AND OLD TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR FELINE INFECTIOUS PERITONITIS: INDIVIDUALISING TREATMENT 

at https://fecava2024.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Proceedings-Book-v05-1.pdf, σελ. 57-59

(29th FECAVA Eurocongress 2024 & 12o Eλληνικό Συνέδριο Κτηνιατρικής Ζώων Συντροφιάς E.K.E)

References:

1. Tasker S. GUIDELINE for Feline Infectious Peritonitis (Internet). ABCD European Advisory Board on Cat Diseases; 2024 Jun (cited 2024 July 26). Available from: https://www.abcdcatsvets.org/guideline-for-feline-infectious-peritonitis/

2. Barua S, Kaltenboeck B, Juan YC, Bird RC, Wang C. Comparative Evaluation of GS-441524, Teriflunomide, Ruxolitinib, Molnupiravir, Ritonavir, and Nirmatrelvir for In Vitro Antiviral Activity against Feline Infectious Peritonitis Virus. Vet Sci. 2023 Aug 9;10(8):513:  https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci10080513

3. Coggins SJ, Norris JM, Malik R, Govendir M, Hall EJ, Kimble B, Thompson MF. Outcomes of treatment of cats with feline infectious peritonitis using parenterally administered remdesivir, with or without transition to orally administered GS‐441524. Viruses. 2022 Nov 1;14(11):2429: https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.16803

4. Taylor SS, Coggins S, Barker EN, et al. Retrospective study and outcome of 307 cats with feline infectious peritonitis treated with legally sourced veterinary compounded preparations of remdesivir and GS-441524 (2020-2022). J Feline Med Surg. 2023 Sep;25(9):1098612X231194460: https://doi.org/10.1177/1098612X231194460

5. Green J, Syme H, Tayler S. Thirty-two cats with effusive or non-effusive feline infectious peritonitis treated with a combination of remdesivir and GS-441524. J Vet Intern Med. 2023 Sep-Oct;37(5):1784-1793. DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16804

6. Zwicklbauer K, Krentz D, Bergmann M, et al. Long-term follow-up of cats in complete remission after treatment of feline infectious peritonitis with oral GS-441524. J Feline Med Surg. 2023 Aug;25(8): https://doi.org/10.1177/1098612X231183250

7. Sase O. Molnupiravir treatment of 18 cats with feline infectious peritonitis: A case series. J Vet Intern Med. 2023 Sep-Oct;37(5):1876-1880: https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.16832

8. Roy M, Jacque N, Novicoff W, Li E, Negash R, Evans SJ. Unlicensed Molnupiravir is an Effective Rescue Treatment Following Failure of Unlicensed GS-441524-like Therapy for Cats with Suspected Feline Infectious Peritonitis. Pathogens. 2022 Oct 20;11(10):1209. DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11101209

9. Yan Y, Li J, Jiao Z, Yang M, Li L, Wang G, Chen Y, Li M, Shen Z, Shi Y, Peng G. Better therapeutic effect of oral administration of GS441524 compared to GC376. Veterinary Microbiology 2023. DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2023.109781

10. Zuzzi-Krebitz AM, Buchta K, Bergmann M, Krentz D, Zwicklbauer K, Dorsch R, Wess G, Fischer A, Matiasek K, Hönl A, et al. Short Treatment of 42 Days with Oral GS-441524 Results in Equal Efficacy as the Recommended 84-Day Treatment in Cats Suffering from Feline Infectious Peritonitis with Effusion—A Prospective Randomized Controlled Study. Viruses 2024, 16, 1144: https://doi.org/10.3390/v16071144

11. Kent AM, Guan S, Jacque N, Novicoff W, Evans SJ. Unlicensed antiviral products used for the at-home treatment of feline infectious peritonitis contain GS-441524 at significantly different amounts than advertised. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2024 Feb 7:1-9. DOI: 10.2460/javma.23.08.0466

Keeping a pet cat indoors is cruel – and owners should be told so

They need to hunt and run and climb. They need to prowl through the undergrowth. It's not a luxury; it's a need.

Sphynx cat – the hairless kind that looks like it has just been exhumed from an Egyptian tomb – was the seventh-most popular breed in Britain in the year 2021. I discovered this startling fact in a news story about a Sphynx that has been rescued from abusive cat breeders, after giving birth to around £140,000-worth of kittens. Lacking a warm coat, Sphynx cats are not well-suited to the British climate. Most are therefore kept indoors. Not long ago, that would have been considered shocking in itself. 

Indoor cats were a gruesome American phenomenon, symptomatic of a culture that – on top of being obsessed with safety – regarded pets as commodities rather than true companions. Alas, all bad American ideas eventually take root over here. The proportion of cats kept indoors in the UK rose from 5 per cent in 2011 to 26.1 per cent in 2019. I dread to think how many kittens were added to this great incarceration during lockdown. 

Although British vets and animal charities still recommend allowing cats outside, they do so increasingly timidly, afraid of enraging the growing constituency of indoor-cat owners. But it ought to be said plainly. Keeping a cat indoors is cruel. It can just about be forgiven if your cat is deaf or ill or – having never previously been allowed outside – has developed impossibly delicate nerves, like the heroine of a Victorian novel. But only just. 

The morality of keeping a pet is questionable at the best of times. The benefits for humans are obvious: company, love (yes, even from cats) and the pleasurable bafflement that comes from living with a creature of a different species. But what’s in it for them? Born (or worse, bred) into the role of domestic attendant, most pets – and certainly all cats – are still animated by wild instincts. When these instincts are thwarted, they get depressed and anxious. It’s not a luxury: it’s a need. They need to hunt and run and climb. They need to prowl through the undergrowth, head down, bottom swaying in the air, before pouncing on a speck of dappled shade. They need to roll in dust and sunshine; shimmy backwards, tail up, to spray a favoured shrub; leap into the air and clap their paws over a fly. 

Don’t kid yourself that you can keep these animals entertained with a velour climbing tree and a feather on a stick. If you can’t, or won’t, supply a cat with outdoor access, don’t get a cat. Pet ownership is not a human right. It is both an indulgence and a responsibility: one that requires us to put the animal’s peace of mind before our own. 

When I got my cats – a pair of exceedingly handsome blue-eyed brothers – several friends insisted I should keep them inside. They’re much too beautiful to go outside, I was told. They’ll get stolen, or lured away by covetous neighbours. And besides, what about cars, and dogs, and cat fights? Didn’t I want to keep my pets safe? The answer was no, not really. Not at the cost of their freedom. 

Ronnie and Reggie have all sorts of adventures I can’t control. Ronnie, who is growing mysteriously fat, often returns home smelling of another woman’s perfume. Once I glanced through the window of our local pub and saw Reggie sitting on a bar stool, holding forth. You can never really own a cat, and shouldn’t try. You can only open the door for them, and hope they come back.

Source: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/04/27/keeping-pet-cat-indoors-cruel-owners-should-told/?ICID=continue_without_subscribing_reg_first

FIP in Cats: What Every Owner Needs to Know

 

FIP - three initials that strike fear into every cat owner who knows how deadly this disease can be. While the virus that causes FIP is incredibly common, up until now treatment has been hopeless. Thankfully, there could soon be a brand new treatment that offers an infected cat a much better chance of survival. What exactly is FIP and are there any new treatments out there because this disease scares so many cat owners: FIP stands for Feline Infectious Peritonitis and is caused by a cat-specific coronavirus that poses no risk to humans.

In most cats, the coronavirus normally stays in the intestines and either causes no problems or just mild diarrhea. Infection in this way is really common, with about 40% of household cats becoming infected at some point in their lives. For cats living in the same home as other cats, infection is even more common with about 60% being infected. In cat colonies, infection rates are pretty much 100%.

In a small proportion of cats, there is a mutation* of the virus which results in one of the body’s white blood cells, the macrophage, becoming infected. Once this mutation takes place, the virus then readily replicated in these cells and is carried around the rest of the body. At this stage, the body’s immune system may recognize and destroy the virus, preventing infection. If the immune system is not able to kill this new FIP virus, there is a reaction between the immune system and virus. This causes inflammation of the blood vessels, known as vasculitis, and the disease known as FIP.

FIP is most commonly seen in young cats, with 80% being under 2 years of age and the majority of these being between 4 and 12 months old. The disease is more common in cats living in more crowded and stressful living conditions, such as multi-cat households and breeding colonies. Genetics may also be a role as certain breeds, include the Abyssinian, Bengal, Birman, Himalayan, Ragdoll, and Devon Rex appear more prone to developing FIP. Other purebred cats, such as Burmese, Exotic Shorthairs, Manxes, Persians, Russian Blues and Siamese, are at no extra risk from FIP. Overall, Feline Infectious Peritonitis is thought to kill about 1% of cats worldwide.

The early signs of FIP can be vague and non-specific, and this phase can last for days to months: Fever, Lethargy, Inappetence. Once the disease progresses, there are 2 forms, wet FIP and dry FIP, which have different symptoms and different diagnostic challenges.

In wet FIP, the blood vessels become leaky which results in fluid building up somewhere in the body. This is most often in the abdomen followed by the chest. The fluid often has a fairly characteristic appearance - clear yellow, thick, and “sticky”.

In dry FIP inflammatory lesions form around the blood vessels. This most commonly affects the eyes or brain**, but can also affect the kidneys, liver, lungs, and skin. Signs of dry FIP are often still vague, and depend on the areas of the body most seriously affected. In a cat showing some FIP symptoms, the cat’s age, breed, and lifestyle are considered. A young cat of an at-risk breed, living in a multicat environment is much more likely to be suffering from FIP than an older cat who does not have contact with others. Blood testing is then likely to be carried out.

Unfortunately, there is no specific FIP blood test. A titer test can be run, but this can only check for coronavirus exposure. This is not helpful if positive, as most cases of coronavirus infection are "normal" intestinal infections, and there is no way to differentiate this from FIP infection. A negative result, however, is likely to mean that FIP can be ruled out.There are some common, non-specific, changes in general blood test parameters that don’t confirm FIP but, if present, give another clue FIP could be the cause of a cat’s illness.

If fluid is present within the abdomen or chest, then this can be sampled. Feline Infectious Peritonitis fluid is normally clear, yellow, thick and sticky in character, and high in protein when tested. The fluid can also be checked for the presence of coronavirus within the fluid itself. Again, this test can’t differentiate between the intestinal and FIP versions of coronavirus but if found in the fluid, then infection is much more likely.

Finally, biopsy of affected tissues can be carried out. This is a much more invasive test requiring anesthetic and surgery. Because a cat is normally very unwell by this stage, it is not a test that is commonly carried out because of the high risk involved.

Unfortunately, FIP is currently a fatal disease in cats. Once an individual becomes unwell, they will often die only days to weeks later. Treatment involves providing supportive, symptomatic care but all this really does is delay their inevitable death.

There is hope on the horizon that there may soon be a new FIP treatment that really works! This is a human antiviral drug currently known as "GS-441524". In the initial study***, 31 cats with FIP were treated with 26 completing the planned 12 weeks of treatment: 1 cat subsequently died from FIP, another from heart disease, 18 remain healthy with no further treatment needed, 8 cats required repeat treatment but were also health when the study was published. These surviving cats, at the time of publishing of the study, were last treated between 9 months and 20 months previously. This means that a massive 77% of cats not only survived FIP, but remained healthy for at least 9 months after infection. I’m sure there will be more studies looking into the long-term survival of cats with FIP treated with GS-441524. And I’m also sure we’ll be calling this drug by a different name!

While there is a vaccine available in some countries, it is generally not recommended. This is because it should only be administered to a kitten older than 16 weeks that have no antibodies to coronavirus. This rules out most at-risk cats. If you are bringing a new kitten of an at-risk breed into a house with multiple cats, however, and the vaccine is available, there is no harm in getting them titer tested and then vaccinated if negative.

Other prevention strategies include: Keeping fewer cats living together - the more cats the higher the risk, meticulous hygiene, low stress and good general care.

One important fact to remember too is that in most cases, the FIP version of coronavirus is not shed in an infected cat’s poop. As a result, FIP is not readily transmitted from one infected cat to another. It is the standard, common, intestinal coronavirus mutating within a cat that results in FIP.

Source: https://ourpetshealth.com/podcast/fip-in-cats?rq=FIP [Sept. 2020]

*The exact trigger for the mutation is still unknown. General observations indicate that low immunity due to stress, neutering, and poor living condition may causeh the onset of the FCOV mutation into FIPV [basmifipturkey.com]. Although FIP can occur in cats of any age, it is most often seen in young cats. Around 80% of cases diagnosed are in cats less than 2 years old, and many cases are seen in kittens around 4-12 months old. FIP is also more common in cats kept in groups or colonies (especially breeding households) as this is an environment where FCoV infections are spread easily. A crowded environment may also contribute to stress, which can be a factor in disease development as it compromises the cat’s immune response. There is evidence that genetics can also play a role in susceptibility to disease, although this is complex. Many cats that develop FIP are now in single cat homes, despite coming from multi-cat environments [icatcare.org/advice].

** https://m.youtube.com/watch?si=L_Sfarlqo1UPkj_L&v=xeACdrksmTs&feature=youtu.be

***Dr. Niels Pedersen’s initial study (2019): https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1098612X19825701

Dr. Niels Pedersen’s Publications by Year: https://www.lunasfiplegacy.com/research 

THE NEUROLOGICAL FORM OF FELINE INFECTIOUS PERITONITIS AND GS-441524 TREATMENT 

WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF FIP? (an interview with Dr. Niels C. Pedersen by Nancy Reeves , published in October 2008) at https://www.sockfip.org/about-fip/: FIP was first recognized as a specific clinical entity in the late 1950’s. This timeline was based on decades of meticulous necropsy records kept by pathologists at the Angell Memorial Animal Hospital. There was a steady increase in the incidence of the disease in the 1960’s onward, and it is currently one of the leading infectious causes of death among young cats from shelters and catteries. The reason for the sudden emergence of FIP is not known, but there are at least two possible explanations. First, it is noteworthy that FIP appeared within a decade of the initial descriptions of transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE) of pigs in North America.The causative virus of FIP is closely related to TGEV of pigs and canine coronavirus (CCV), although they are still genetically distinguishable. However, mixtures between these three viruses are known to occur. At least one strain of canine coronavirus can induce mild enteritis in cats and enhance a subsequent infection with FIPV, indicating a special closeness to feline coronaviruses. Therefore, CCV may be a more likely parent of FECV in this scenario. Another related possibility is that the FIP mutation occurs only in a relatively new strain of FECV, and that this new strain only evolved in the 1950’s. Coronaviruses such as FECV are continuously mutating as a result of the manner in which their genetic material (RNA) is replicated. Therefore, genetic change, either among themselves or through genetic mixing with closely related coronaviruses from other species, could have either allowed a coronavirus of another species to take up host in cats or to alter a strain that existed prior to the 1950s. An alternative non-genetic explanation may involve changes in how cats were viewed as pets and their husbandry. There was a dramatic shift in the status, keeping, and breeding of cats as pets after WWII.The numbers of pet cats greatly increased, pure breeding and cattery rearing became increasingly popular, and more cats, and in particular kittens, found themselves in shelters. These large multiple cat indoor environments are known to favor feline enteric coronavirus (FECV) infection and FIP. Interestingly, feline leukemia virus (FeLV) infection also became rampant among indoor multiple cat households during this period, and FeLV infection was a significant enhancing factor for FIP until it was pushed back into nature as a result of testing, elimination/isolation, and eventual vaccination in the 1970s and 1980s. 

More 

See also 

• "How research of an FIP treatment for cats is saving human lives" at dvm360.com
• 2023 article "How far would you go to save your cat?" at the Guardian
• Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) – What Happened, Why It Happened. What Will Happen To My Cat And What Are My Options? / https://vetspace.2ndchance.info/feline-infectious-peritonitis-fip-and-your-cat/?amp=1
• Differential Diagnosis: If your cat has been diagnosed with FIP, your first step is to ensure you have the correct diagnosis, because errors are frequent... It is estimated that 70 to 80% of cats diagnosed with non-effusive FIP turn out to have another condition, usually treatable. The likelihood of error in the case of effusive (wet) FIP is lower but still varies widely depending on the cat's age and breed... 95% of cats are FCoV (Feline Coronavirus) carriers at one point or another. It does not mean they will develop FIP. Only 5% of them end up developing Feline Infectious Peritonitis. Also, be aware that there is NO DEFINITIVE TEST for FIP... FIP is a difficult diagnosis to reach, and is a process of exclusion, particularly with the dry (non-effusive) form.

GLOBAL RESEARCH ARTICLES

Update: There have been significant recent developments in the management of this once fatal condition. Initial research by Professor Niels Pedersen of University of California, Davis, showed that some newer anti-viral drugs, such as GC-376 and GS-441524, used in humans against some emerging viruses, were effective. Hope came in 2020-2021, when remdesivir and GS-441524 became legally available initially in Australia, then the UK and now via export to multiple countries around the world. Experience using these drugs has shown that most cats can be successfully treated (response is around 85%). The treatment course is long at 84 days, and most cats can be treated at home with tablets/liquid, but if very unwell, they may require the initial treatment in the veterinary clinic with injectable anti-viral drugs. A small number of cats don’t respond, and some require adjustments in treatment dosage. Relapse of FIP is possible during or after the treatment course, but it is uncommon. Several publications have now followed cats after they have been treated for FIP with these anti-viral drugs, and the vast majority have remained healthy. We continue to learn more as we study this disease and other anti-viral drugs become legally available, such as molnupirivir, another anti-viral medication used legally in some countries with success. We look forward to learning more about the treatment of FIP over the next few years. Black market products remain available, but of unknown content and safety, so legal drugs should be selected for the treatment of FIP in cats. Please click here for more specific information about these drugs and speak to your vet to discuss treatment options if your cat is diagnosed with FIP. [https://icatcare.org/advice/feline-infectious-peritonitis-fip/, Nov. 2023]

Further information for veterinarians can be found here [May 2024]

Concerning feline infectious peritonitis outbreak in Cyprus (FCoV-2023-outbreak): biorxiv.org, icatcare.org, bvajournals.onlinelibrary, fecava, fipwarriors.eu, hvms.gr 

Σύμφωνα με τον κτηνίατρο Μάριο Μιχαήλ, εκατοντάδες ήταν και οι περιπτώσεις γάτων που μεταφέρθηκαν σε κτηνιατρικές κλινικές με συμπτώματα χτυπήματος από αυτοκίνητα, αλλά οι εξετάσεις έδειξαν τελικά πως επρόκειτο για νευρολογικά προβλήματα που προκαλούνται από την λοιμώδη περιτονίτιδα [dw]

More info: 

• https://bova.vet/tag/feline-infectious-peritonitis/
• https://www.abcdcatsvets.org/guideline-for-feline-infectious-peritonitis/ (Fb)
• https://www.abcdcatsvets.org/portfolio-item/factsheets-tools-for-feline-infectious-peritonitis-fip/
• https://www.ed.ac.uk/vet/services/easter-bush-pathology/research/research-articles/there-is-hope-for-cats-with-fip 
• https://fipcatsaustralia.org.au
  
• https://www.vetcollection.co.uk/health/conditions/feline-infectious-peritonitis-fip/
  
• Royal Veterinary College
  

• https://www.zenbycat.org/does-your-cat-have-fip
• https://www.zenbycat.org/blog/alternative-treatments-for-cats-with-fip-and-natural-or-acquired-resistance-to-gs-441524
• https://www.curefip.com -- treatment
• https://www.fipvetguide.com/additional-resources

fipwarriors

Articles at fipwarriors.eu

videos

Drugs at fipwarriors.eu

Παλαιότερες αναρτήσεις: filikakiblogspot (Ιαν. 2021), gatouitiblogspot (Φεβρ. 2023)

Facebook links: search, FIP Cats UK, FIP Warriors Cyprus & Greece, FIP Veterinarians Education

Photo1 at https://www.basmifipturkey.com/blog

Το εφιαλτικό παρασκήνιο των ιχθυοκαλλιεργειών στην Ισλανδία και όχι μόνο

Tον Νοέμβριο του 2023, η Ισλανδή μουσικός Bjork κυκλοφόρησε ένα τραγούδι για να ενισχύσει  τον αγώνα που, τα τελευταία χρόνια, διεξάγεται στην πατρίδα της, την Ισλανδία, ενάντια στα τεραστίων διαστάσεων ιχθυοτροφεία σολομού που λειτουργούν στη χώρα. 

Στην προσωπική της ιστοσελίδα, μπορεί κανείς να διαβάσει πως όλα τα έσοδα που θα προκύψουν από την πώληση του τραγουδιού θα διατεθούν για την υποστήριξη ακτιβιστών, διαδηλωτών και οργανώσεων που προσπαθούν να σταματήσουν την δράση επιχειρηματικών συμφερόντων που βλάπτουν την άγρια ζωή.

Σε μήνυμα που έκανε τον γύρο του κόσμου, η Bjork εξηγεί στους φίλους και θαυμαστές της πως η βιομηχανική εκτροφή σολομού είναι μια δραστηριότητα "φρικτή για τα ψάρια και επιβλαβής για το περιβάλλον", συμπληρώνοντας ότι "ο εκτρεφόμενος σολομός βιώνει βασανιστική ταλαιπωρία μέχρι την ημέρα της θανάτωσής του, και αυτό είναι ένα φαγητό που περιέχει μεγάλες ποσότητες πόνου". 

Την ίδια εποχή το γερμανικό περιοδικό Spiegel έδωσε στη δημοσιότητα μια φωτογραφία που ήρθε να φέρει στην επιφάνεια αυτό που πραγματικά κρύβεται στα τεράστια υποθαλάσσια κλουβιά, μέσα στα οποία ζουν φυλακισμένοι εκατομμύρια σολομοί. Κατά τη διάρκεια μιας κατάδυσης σε ένα από τα φιόρδ της Ισλανδίας, μια φωτογράφος της θαλάσσιας ζωής (η Veiga Gretarsydottir) ήρθε αντιμέτωπη με ένα τρομακτικό πλάσμα που όμοιό του δεν είχε ξαναδεί στα νερά της χώρας. Περιγράφοντας την εμπειρία της στους δημοσιογράφους, είπε για το ψάρι που βρισκόταν απέναντί της: "Το αριστερό του μάτι δεν φαινόταν, το στόμα του ήταν ορθάνοιχτο, και το πρόσωπό του ήταν πρησμένο, γεμάτο ουλές και άγρια τραυματισμένο από τις θαλάσσιες ψείρες και τα βακτήρια που είχαν φάει ένα μεγάλο μέρος από τις σάρκες του. Ήταν σαν να κολυμπούσε μπροστά μου ένα πτώμα, μόνο που αυτός ο σολομός ήταν ζωντανός, ήταν ένα από τα χιλιάδες 'ψάρια-ζόμπι' που είχαν δραπετεύσει από τα τεράστια κλουβιά όπου ζούσαν μέσα σε άθλιες συνθήκες, στοιβαγμένα από ανθρώπους που το μόνο που τους ενδιαφέρει είναι το κέρδος". 

Μετά τον σάλο που προκάλεσε η αποκάλυψη των "σολομών-ζόμπι" και τις διαδηλώσεις στο Ρέικιαβικ, η νορβηγική εταιρεία που διαχειρίζεται τις ιχθυοκαλλιέργειες αναγκάστηκε να παραδεχτεί ότι περίπου ένα εκατομμύριο παραμορφωμένοι σολομοί ανασύρθηκαν από την θάλασσα* νεκροί ή βαριά προσβεβλημένοι από παράσιτα (sea lice - ψείρα της θάλασσας)**. 

Σήμερα, πολλοί Ισλανδοί ανησυχούν τόσο για τις άγνωστες νόσους που πλήττουν τα παχυνόμενα ψάρια όσο και για την καταστροφή που οι ιχθυοκαλλιέργειες προκαλούν στο οικοσύστημα της χώρας, με ανεπανόρθωτες βλάβες στους γηγενείς πληθυσμούς ψαριών. Περίπου τα δύο τρίτα των Ισλανδών δηλώνουν αντίθετοι με τις επιχειρήσεις εκτροφής ψαριών στα ανοιχτά των ακτών τους. Το τελευταίο διάστημα, μια συζήτηση, σχετική με τις περιβαλλοντικές επιπτώσεις της ταχύτατα αναπτυσσόμενης δραστηριότητας των ιχθυοκαλλιεργειών, έχει ανοίξει και σε πολλές άλλες χώρες του κόσμου, μεταξύ των οποίων και η Ελλάδα.  [...] 

Στις ιχθυοκαλλιέργειες, τα ψάρια αναγκάζονται να ζουν κάτω από έντονα στρεσσικές συνθήκες (συνωστισμός,  ανεπιθύμητες αλληλεπιδράσεις, χειρισμοί από ανθρώπους) και είναι επιρρεπή σε ασθένειες. Ακριβώς όπως τα γουρούνια και τα κοτόπουλα, έτσι και τα ψάρια περνούν μια ζωή γεμάτη πόνο και ταλαιπωρία. Έρευνες ιχθυολόγων έχουν δείξει ότι ο τρόπος με τον οποίο τα ψάρια αντιμετωπίζουν το στρες δεν διαφέρει από εκείνον των ανθρώπων και των άλλων χερσαίων σπονδυλωτών, και ότι τα ψάρια δεν υστερούν σε συναισθήματα και νοημοσύνη, ξεπερνώντας κατά πολύ αυτό που κάποτε πιστεύαμε. 

Ο ειδικός στη συμπεριφορά των ψαριών Dr Culum Brown έχει δηλώσει πως τα ψάρια είναι πιο έξυπνα από ότι φαίνεται, και πως οι γνωστικές τους δυνατότητες είναι εφάμιλλες με εκείνες των ανώτερων σπονδυλωτών. Πρόσφατες επιστημονικές μελέτες καταδεικνύουν πως τα ψάρια που εκτρέφονται σε ιχθυοκαλλιέργειες βιώνουν βαριά κατάθλιψη και οδηγούνται στην παραίτηση από όλα, ακόμη και από την θέληση για ζωή. Πολλά από αυτά  είναι καχεκτικά ή παραμορφωμένα και επιπλέουν άψυχα στην επιφάνεια των δεξαμενών [...] 

Μελετώντας τα δεδομένα, δεν είναι δύσκολο να αντιληφθεί κανείς πως το πρόβλημα των ιχθυοκαλλιεργειών δεν είναι μόνο περιβαλλοντικό αλλά και ηθικό. Η κακοποίηση υποτίθεται ότι παρέχει σε περισσότερους ανθρώπους την δυνατότητα να τρώνε περισσότερα και φθηνότερα ψάρια, όμως το αφήγημα παρουσιάζει ένα επικίνδυνο για τη βιωσιμότητα των θαλασσών και του πλανήτη κενό: Αν και οι ιχθυοκαλλιέργειες παρουσιάζονται τα τελευταία χρόνια ως λύση για την υπεραλίευση των άγριων αποθεμάτων στις θάλασσες και στους ωκεανούς, στην πραγματικότητα τείνουν να αυξήσουν το πρόβλημα, καθώς πολλά από τα είδη που εκτρέφονται είναι σαρκοφάγα και τρέφονται με ψάρια που αλιεύονται από το θαλάσσιο περιβάλλον. Υπολογίζεται πως πάνω από 450 δισεκατομμύρια ψάρια αλιεύονται κάθε χρόνο για την παρασκευή ιχθυοτροφών με τις οποίες θα παχυνθούν τα ψάρια εκτροφής. Στην περίπτωση της Ισλανδίας, είναι χρήσιμο να γνωρίζει κανείς πως ένας σολομός ιχθυοκαλλιέργειας, για να φτάσει στο βάρος που απαιτείται ώστε να βγει στην αγορά, θα έχει καταναλώσει τουλάχιστον 500 ψάρια. 

Στην Ελλάδα, έντονες είναι οι αντιδράσεις από κατοίκους περιοχών στις οποίες φιλοξενούνται εγκαταστάσεις ιχθυοκαλλιεργειών, καθώς η επέκτασή τους αναμένεται να έχει επιπτώσεις τόσο στον τουρισμό όσο και στο περιβάλλον. Οι αντιδράσεις αναμένεται να πυκνώσουν, καθώς το Πολυετές Εθνικό Στρατηγικό Σχέδιο για την ανάπτυξη των ιχθυοκαλλιεργειών προβλέπει πως οι εκτάσεις που καταλαμβάνονται από αυτές θα αυξηθούν, από 9.800 στρέμματα, σε 240.000 σε ολόκληρη τη χώρα (24πλάσια επέκταση).

Πηγή: Άρθρο του Πέτρου Κατσάκου με τίτλο "Ψάρια-ζόμπι στο πιάτο μας", στην εφημερίδα Αυγή και τις "Ιστορίες χωρίς φωνή" + επιλεκτικές αναφορές στα hyperlinks

*https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/nov/03/sea-lice-outbreak-icelandic-salmon-farm-welfare-disaster-footage-shows 

**https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/the-problem-of-sea-lice-in-salmon-farms.html, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/farmed-salmon-decimate-wild-populations-by-exposing-them-to-parasites, https://beyondpesticides.org/dailynewsblog/2022/04/ocean-health-first-reports-of-salmon-lice-resistance-in-the-pacific-ocean-threatens-local-ecosystems/

Υπερασπίζοντας τα ζώα στο Ευρωκοινοβούλιο

 

ΔΕΝ ΝΟΕΙΤΑΙ κόμμα που προβάλλει φιλοζωική ατζέντα, ζητώντας ψήφο σε εκλογές με μεγαλόσχημες αναφορές στην "Ευζωία" ή/και τα "Δικαιώματα" των ζώων να μην αναφέρει ούτε μια λέξη σχετικά με την βιομηχανία της γούνας, το κυνήγι, και τις διατροφικές επιλογές (ποιοτικές και ποσοτικές) των πολιτών, και το ΜέΡΑ25 αποτελεί την μοναδική εξαίρεση σ' αυτόν τον κανόνα της (σκόπιμης και συλλογικής) αποσιώπησης! 

Δείτε το άρθρο της Ηρώς Διώτη για τα ζώα (αδέσποτα, εργασίας, άγρια και παραγωγικά) με τίτλο "Τα δικαιώματα των ζώων στην ατζέντα του ΜέΡΑ25-Ανατρεπτική Οικολογική Αριστερά για την Ευρωβουλή", εδώ: https://filikaki-blog.blogspot.com/2024/05/blog-post_24.html

Ενόχλησέ τους και για την προστασία των ζώων! 

Photo 

Νέα καταδίκη του Αττικού Ζωολογικού Πάρκου για τα δελφίνια

Στις 20 Μαΐου 2024, το Θ’ Μονομελές Πλημμελειοδικείο Αθηνών επέβαλε στην ιδιοκτησία του Αττικού Ζωολογικού  Πάρκου ποινή 6μηνης φυλάκισης με 3ετή αναστολή για παράβαση του νόμου 4039/2012 (άρθρα 12 και 13) περί πραγματοποίησης παραστάσεων με συμμετοχή ζώων (δελφίνια), όπως ανακοίνωσε η Οικολογική Συμμαχία σε ανάρτησή της στα κοινωνικά δίκτυα. 

Αυτή η καταδίκη ήταν η κατάληξη της ποινικής δίωξης που ασκήθηκε μετά από μήνυση που είχαν καταθέσει, στις 14 Απριλίου 2021, εκπρόσωποι της Οικολογικής Συμμαχίας και φιλοζωικές οργανώσεις*, σχετικά με τις παράνομες παραστάσεις που είχαν πιστοποιηθεί από αρμόδια κρατικά όργανα τον Φεβρουάριο 2016, τον Ιούνιο 2019 και τον Φεβρουάριο 2020. 

Αν και η ποινή της 6μηνης φυλάκιση με αναστολή θεωρείται ελάχιστη, αποτελεί την δεύτερη κατά σειρά καταδίκη για την ιδιοκτησία της επιχείρησης "Αττικό Ζωολογικό Πάρκο ΑΕ" (μετά την 8μηνη με τριετή αναστολή, την οποία είχε εκδικάσει το Στ’ Μονομελές Πρωτοδικείο Αθηνών τον Οκτώβριο του 2023). 

"Είχαμε και σήμερα μια μεγάλη επιτυχία, μετά από εκείνη της 23ης Οκτωβρίου 2023, και το Αττικό Ζωολογικό Πάρκο καταδικάσθηκε πρωτόδικα δια του ιδιοκτήτη του σε φυλάκιση 6 μηνών με τριετή αναστολή για παράνομες παραστάσεις δελφινιών. Η κοινωνική συνείδηση υπέρ της μη χρησιμοποίησης ζώων για κερδοσκοπικές παραστάσεις βρίσκει εξακολουθητικά  και δικαστική επικύρωση. Ήταν άλλη μια καλή μέρα για την προστασία των ζώων", σχολίασε στο Facebook ο δικηγόρος των εναγόντων, Δημήτρης Μπελαντής.

Διαβάστε περισσότερα: zoosos, avgi, reader, aftodioikisi, dikastiko, koutipandoras, ethnos, irafina, thehappynews

*My Dolphin Club, Dolphinaria-free Europe**, Sea Shepherd Greece, iSea (Fb) και  το Φιλοζωικό Σωματείο Θεσσαλονίκης "Argos"

**dfe.ngo [Fb]

Screen shot from newsbeast, 22/05/24

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