Detection of vector-borne pathogens in cats and their ectoparasites in southern Italy
Persichetti, Maria-Flaminia (Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia Adelmo Mirri)
Solano Gallego, Laia (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals)
Serrano, Lorena (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Vetgenomics)
Altet Sanahujes, Laura (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Vetgenomics)
Reale, Stefano (Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia Adelmo Mirri)
Masucci, Marisa (Università di Messina. Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie)
Pennisi, Maria-Grazia (Università di Messina. Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie)

Data:	2016
Resum:	Vector-borne pathogens are the subject of several investigations due to the zoonotic concern of some of them. However, limited data are available about the simultaneous presence of these pathogens in cats and their ectoparasites. The aim of the present study was to define the species of ectoparasites found on cats as well as to investigate vector-borne pathogens in cats and their ectoparasites in southern Italy. Blood from 42 cats and fleas or flea pools (n = 28) and ticks (n = 73) collected from them were investigated by quantitative PCR for the detection of vector-borne pathogens. Feline serum samples were tested by IFAT to detect IgG antibodies against Leishmania infantum, Bartonella henselae, Rickettsia conorii, Rickettsia felis, Rickettsia typhi, Babesia microti, Ehrlichia canis and Anaplasma phagocytophilum antigens. Only one flea species (Ctenocephalides felis) and four tick species belonging to the genera Rhipicephalus and Ixodes were identified on cats from southern Italy. Molecular evidence of Bartonella spp. , Rickettsia spp. , hemoplasmas, Babesia vogeli and L. infantum was found in ectoparasites (fleas and/or ticks) while DNA from Hepatozoon felis and Ehrlichia/Anaplasma spp. was not detected. Likewise, DNAs from Bartonella, hemoplasma and Leishmania were the only pathogens amplified from feline blood samples. Cats had also antibodies against all the investigated pathogens with the exception of Rickettsia typhi. Agreement between serological and molecular results in individual cats and their ectoparasites was not found. The only exception was for Bartonella with a fair to moderate agreement between individual cats and their ectoparasites. Bartonella clarridgeiae was the species most frequently found in cats and their fleas followed by B. henselae. In conclusion, cats harboring ticks and fleas are frequently exposed to vector-borne pathogens. Furthermore, ticks and fleas harbored by cats frequently carry pathogens of zoonotic concern therefore appropriate feline ectoparasiticide preventative treatments should be used in cats.
Drets:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Llengua:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Matèria:	Vector-borne pathogens ; Flea ; Tick ; Cat
Publicat a:	Parasites & vectors, Vol. 9 (may 2016) , ISSN 1756-3305

DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1534-1
PMID: 27160725

7 p, 458.7 KB

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