Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Milan, Via Univ 6, I-26900 Lodi, Italy
SARS-CoV-2 has fundamentally changed our lives, claiming hundreds of thousands of victims worldwide and affecting our lifestyles and habits. Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a feline disease caused by feline coronavirus (FCoV). Until recent years, FIP was considered an incurable and fatal disease. As one of many coronaviruses well known in veterinary medicine, information about FCoV may be of interest and may provide suggestions for aspects of the pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 that are not yet understood. The authors of this article describe the most important aspects of FIP and COVID-19 and the similarities and differences between these important diseases. SARS-CoV-2 and FCoV are taxonomically distant viruses, and recombination events have been reported for FCoV with other coronaviruses and suggested for SARS-CoV-2. SARS-CoV-2 and FCoV differ in certain pathogenic, clinical, and pathological characteristics. However, some of the pathogenic and immunopathogenic events that are well known in feline FIP appear to be present in COVID-19 patients as well. Additionally, currently recommended precautions to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2 have been shown to eradicate FIP in feline households. Finally, one of the most promising FIP therapeutic compounds is GS-441524, the active form of Remdesivir, which is being used as a treatment option for COVID-19