Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Outdoor cats in southern Italy exposed to parasites risk infections
By Persichetti, Maria Flaminia et al.·Published in Parasites & vectors·2018·Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Clinical evaluation of outdoor cats exposed to ectoparasites and associated risk for vector-borne infections in southern Italy.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A study found that outdoor cats in southern Italy, especially those not treated for parasites, showed high rates of infections from various pathogens. Symptoms like swollen lymph nodes and mouth inflammation were more common in these cats compared to indoor cats that received parasite treatment. The outdoor cats had a significantly higher presence of antibodies and DNA from infections like Bartonella and Rickettsia. This highlights the importance of keeping outdoor cats protected from parasites to reduce their risk of serious infections.
People also search for: outdoor cat infections · cat swollen lymph nodes · parasite prevention for cats · Bartonella in cats · Rickettsia in cats
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Cats can be carriers of infected arthropods and be infected with several vector-borne pathogens (VBP) but there is limited knowledge about their pathogenic role in cats. RESULTS: A cross-sectional controlled study investigated the clinical status and antibody (Bartonella henselae, Rickettsia conorii, Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia microti and Leishmania infantum) and/or blood PCR (Mycoplasma spp., Bartonella spp., Rickettsia spp., Ehrlichia/Anaplasma spp., piroplasmids, L. infantum, Hepatozoon felis) prevalence in 197 cats. Outdoor cats lacking ectoparasiticide treatment or hosting ectoparasites (study group [SG], n = 134) and indoor cats treated against ectoparasites (control group [CG], n = 63) were enrolled. Clinical data and retroviral co-infections were compared between the two groups. Multivariable analysis tested associations between variables and VBP exposure. Lymphadenia, stomatitis, and various haematological abnormalities were statistically more frequent in SG. Antibodies against R. conorii, B. henselae, A. phagocytophylum, B. microti, E. canis and L. infantum were detected. Bartonella henselae, Bartonella clarridgeiae, Mycoplasma haemofelis, "Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum" and "Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis" DNA were identified. Very high antibody (87.8%) and PCR (40.1%) positivity to at least one pathogen were detected and were significantly higher in SG. Co-infections were confirmed in about one-third of the cats and were more frequent in SG cats. Molecular and overall (antibody and PCR) positivity to Bartonella and antibody positivity to R. conorii were higher in SG. Multivariable analysis found significant associations of Bartonella spp. infection with Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) infection and increased globulins, and of Mycoplasma spp. infection with adult age, FIV infection, anaemia, and increased creatinine. CONCLUSIONS: A very high prevalence of exposure to zoonotic VBP was found in cats, with Rickettsia and Bartonella infections being most prevalent. Some risk factors were documented namely for Mycoplasma spp. and Bartonella spp. The lifestyle of cats is clinically relevant and requires specific preventative measures to protect their health.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29554931/