Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Antibodies to Bartonella found in cats with sporotrichosis in Rio de
By Kitada, Amanda A B et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2014·Evandro Chagas Clinical Research Institute/Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Brazil·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Detection of serum antibodies against Bartonella species in cats with sporotrichosis from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 112 cats with sporotrichosis (a fungal skin infection) was tested for antibodies against Bartonella species, which can cause cat scratch disease in humans. Most of these cats were young males, and some were also positive for feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). The study found that a significant number of both infected and healthy cats had antibodies to Bartonella, indicating they could potentially spread the infection to humans. This highlights the importance of monitoring and treating skin infections in cats to protect both their health and that of their owners.
People also search for: cat scratch disease symptoms · sporotrichosis in cats treatment · cat skin infection zoonosis
Abstract
Cat scratch disease is a zoonosis caused by Bartonella species, transmitted to humans through scratches or bites from infected cats and via direct contact with infected feces. Sporotrichosis, caused by the fungal complex Sporothrix, is transmitted by traumatic inoculation of the fungus. Cats are important in zoonotic transmission. Serum samples from 112 domestic cats with sporotrichosis and 77 samples from healthy cats were analyzed by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA), using the commercial kit Bartonella henselae IFA IgG (Bion). The presence of antibodies against feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) core antigens was detected using the commercial kit Snap Combo FIV-FeLV (Idexx). The group of animals with sporotrichosis contained 93 males with a median age of 22 months, eight (7.1%) of which were positive for FIV and 15 (13.4%) for FeLV. The group of animals without sporotrichosis contained 36 males with a median age 48 months, 10 (13.0%) of which were positive for FIV and eight (10.4%) for FeLV. Of the 112 cats with sporotrichosis and 77 cats without mycosis, 72 (64.3%) and 35 (45.5%), respectively, were IFA reactive. No association was found between age, sex, FIV/FeLV and the presence of antibodies to Bartonella species. The results suggest that the study population can be considered a potential source of zoonotic infection for both diseases.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24127458/