Polycystic Kidney Disease
Polycystic Kidney Disease is a genetic mutation causing benign cysts in the kidneys and other organs. The disease progresses at very different rates, but can cause early death. It is quite common in Perians, where it originated. Persians have been used in some Siberian matings, to increase coat density and round the face. These outcrosses have brought several genetic Persian diseases into the Siberian breed - including Persian Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD1).
Resourses for research and testing of PKD are listed below.
The Feline PKD Home Page
Includes definitions and frequently asked questions about PKD
http://www.felinepkd.com
Definitions, diagnosis, treatment, and offspring probabilities (by Biller et al).
http://www.cfa.org/articles/health/pkd.html
Feline Polycystic Kidney Disease Mutation Identified in PKD1
Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (by Lyons et al).
http://jasn.asnjournals.org/cgi/content/full/15/10/2548
Gesunde-Rassekatzen (German Siberian Health Database)
Nice German Database with HCM, PKD, and blood group records.
www.gesunde-rassekatzen.de
Genetic Screening for Feline Persian Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD)
The UC Davis website states the current DNA test for PKD test must be validated before it is used to screen non-Persian related cats. At this time, all but one Siberian with PKD confirmed by untrasound tested positive for the Persian mutation.
http://faculty.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/Faculty/lalyons/Sites/PKDDNAtest.htm