retroviral AIDS for cats (FIV)

5.11: news.health/retroviral AIDS for cats (FIV):

feline acquired immune deficiency syndrome (FAIDS)

. the infected cat's saliva enters the other cat's bloodstream.
. endemic in some large wild cats, such as African lions.
Unlike domestic cats, these species do not necessarily
exhibit symptoms, perhaps because
they have developed evolutionary mutations
that confer resistance.

casual transmission:

It has never been established in HIV research
that an intermediate host, such as a mosquito or flea,
can transmit productive infection [Webb],
and the same is believed to be the case with FIV.
...
. bloodborne HIV in a syringe
can survive outside the human body
for periods up to several weeks;
viability is “influenced by virus titre,
volume of blood, ambient temperature,
exposure to sunlight and humidity” [Thompson].
While cause for concern among human drug users,
this is of little practical relevance to felines,
although the variables cited undoubtedly play some role in
an exposed environment as they do in a hypodermic syringe.
FIV, like HIV, is not particularly sensitive to
ordinary room temperature,
but is very sensitive to such variables as
pH level [AIDSMap],
a fact which accounts, for instance,
for inactivation by stomach acid.
...
Blood, of course, contains {FIV, HIV} viruses
and can be shed.
Drying does not seem to affect the infectivity of HIV,
and the same is probably true of FIV [AIDSMap].

mosquitoes not a problem (whew!):

. it is not possible to get HIV from mosquitoes.
When taking blood, mosquitoes do not inject blood
from any previous person.
The only thing that a mosquito injects is saliva,
which acts as a lubricant
and enables it to feed more efficiently.