Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Rickettsia conorii israelensis found in cat and dog blood in southern
By Maia, Carla et al.·Published in Topics in companion animal medicine·2019·Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM)·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Detection of Rickettsia conorii israelensis DNA in the Blood of a Cat and a Dog From Southern Portugal.
Plain-English summary
A dog and a cat from southern Portugal were found to have a type of bacteria called Rickettsia conorii israelensis in their blood. This bacteria can be spread by ticks and may cause health issues in pets. The researchers tested blood samples from many animals and discovered that a small percentage of both cats and dogs carried this bacteria. It's important for pet owners to be aware of this and discuss potential tick prevention and testing with their veterinarian, especially if their pets show any signs of illness.
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Abstract
Vector-borne rickettsioses represent emerging threats to public health worldwide. The aim of this work was the screening for the presence of Rickettsia spp. in the blood of dogs and cats from southern Portugal. A PCR product of the expected size was amplified from DNA extracts obtained from blood samples of 29 out of 225 (12.9%) cats and in 2 out of 375 (.5%) dogs using genus-specific primers targeting Rickettsia gltA. Rickettsia conorii israelensis was identified by phylogenetical analysis of partial ompB sequences, amplified from blood samples taken from both a cat and a dog. The obtained results reinforce the idea that domestic animals may act as sentinels for the presence of vector-borne Rickettsia spp. in a given geographical area. In addition, rickettsioses should be included in the differential diagnosis of canine and feline vector-borne diseases.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31472723/