During the year 2023, an unprecedented outbreak of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) was described in Cyprus, caused by the emergence of a novel feline coronavirus (FCoV) recombinant. The virus, termed FCoV-23, spread quickly across the island and readily caused severe disease, indicative of a highly pathogenic form that may no longer need to acquire further mutations to cause FIP. 

Historically, outbreaks of FIP have been restricted to catteries and cat shelters, yet during the current outbreak , cases have been reported in a wide range of settings, even in indoor-only cats in all of the island. This raises important questions on why this recombinant virus is so successful both in terms of route of transmission and its evolution during the outbreak.

A large research group consisting of scientists from 3 continents (America, Australia and Europe) has assembled, called the FCoV23 International Research Consortium, with the purpose to find out more information on this outbreak which will may help the international research community to understand FCoV23 and FCoVs better, but also coronavirus evolution amongst species.