Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Collar with imidacloprid and flumethrin lowers Bartonella infection
By Greco, Grazia et al.·Published in Parasites & vectors·2019·Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Effectiveness of a 10% imidacloprid/4.5% flumethrin polymer matrix collar in reducing the risk of Bartonella spp. infection in privately owned cats.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A study found that outdoor cats wearing a Seresto collar, which helps prevent fleas and ticks, had a significantly lower risk of getting infected with Bartonella bacteria, which can be harmful to both cats and humans. Out of 152 cats monitored, only 3 wearing the collar tested positive for the bacteria, compared to 10 cats that did not wear the collar. This means the collar reduced the risk of infection by about 71%. Using this collar could be an important step in protecting your cat from these infections, especially if they spend time outside.
People also search for: cat flea collar effectiveness · Bartonella infection in cats · how to prevent fleas in cats
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Bartonella henselae, Bartonella clarridgeiae and the rare Bartonella koehlerae are zoonotic pathogens, with cats being regarded as the main reservoir hosts. The spread of the infection among cats occurs mainly via fleas and specific preventive measures need to be implemented. The effectiveness of a 10% imidacloprid/4.5% flumethrin polymer matrix collar (Seresto®, Bayer Animal Health), registered to prevent flea and tick infestations, in reducing the risk of Bartonella spp. infection in privately owned cats, was assessed in a prospective longitudinal study. METHODS: In March-May 2015 [Day 0 (D0)], 204 privately-owned cats from the Aeolian Islands (Sicily) were collared (G1, n = 104) or left as controls (G2, n = 100). The bacteraemia of Bartonella spp. was assessed at enrolment (D0) and study closure (D360) by PCR and DNA sequencing both prior to and after an enrichment step, using Bartonella alpha proteobacteria growth medium (BAPGM). RESULTS: A total of 152 cats completed the study with 3 in G1 and 10 in G2 being positive for Bartonella spp. Bartonella henselae genotype I ZF1 (1.35%) and genotype II Fizz/Cal-1 (6.76%) as well as B. clarridgeiae (5.41%) were detected in cats of G2. Bartonella clarridgeiae was the only species detected in G1. Based on the yearly crude incidence of Bartonella spp. infection (i.e. 3.85% in G1 and 13.51% in G2; P = 0.03) the Seresto® collar achieved a preventative efficacy of 71.54%. The incidence of Bartonella spp. infection was more frequent in flea-infested cats (6/33, 18.18%) than in uninfested ones (7/112, 5.88%) (P = 0.036). CONCLUSIONS: Cats living in the Aeolian Islands are exposed to B. henselae and B. clarridgeiae. The Seresto® collar provided significant risk reduction against Bartonella spp. infection in outdoor cats under field conditions. Such a preventative tool could be a key contribution for decreasing the risk of Bartonella spp. infection in cats and thus ultimately to humans.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30709361/