Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Epidemiologic features of Campylobacter infection among cats in the upper midwestern United States.
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
- Year:
- 2005
- Authors:
- Bender, Jeffrey B et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine · United States
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
This study looked at Campylobacter infection, a type of bacteria, in cats from the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area. Researchers tested 152 cats from veterinary clinics and an animal shelter, finding that about 24% had Campylobacter in their feces. Most of the infected cats were kittens under one year old, and the bacteria were more commonly found during the summer and fall. Interestingly, the study did not find a link between the presence of Campylobacter and any signs of illness in the cats. The researchers noted that while some cats carried the bacteria for a median of 44 days, others continued to shed the bacteria in follow-up tests. Overall, the findings suggest that healthy kittens can carry this bacteria, so it's important for cat owners, especially those with new kittens, to practice good hand hygiene.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe the epidemiologic features of Campylobacter infection among cats in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area. DESIGN: Prevalence survey. ANIMALS: 152 cats examined at 3 private veterinary clinics and an animal humane society. PROCEDURES: Fecal samples were submitted for bacterial culture for Campylobacter spp. To determine the duration of Campylobacter carriage, follow-up fecal samples were collected from cats with positive Campylobacter culture results. RESULTS: Campylobacter organisms were cultured from 37 of the 152 (24%) fecal samples. Campylobacter isolates were identified as Campylobacter upsaliensis (29 cats), Campylobacter jejuni (2), and Campylobacter coli (1); species of the remaining 5 isolates could not be determined. Campylobacter organisms were isolated from 36 of the 122 (30%) cats that were < or = 1 year old but from only 1 of the 30 (3%) cats that were > 1 year old, and shedding was more common during the summer and fall months. No association between Campylobacter shedding and clinical signs of disease was identified. For 4 of 13 cats from which follow-up fecal samples were obtained, duration of Campylobacter carriage could not be determined because Campylobacter organisms were isolated from all follow-up samples. For the remaining 9 cats, median duration of Campylobacter carriage was 44 days. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: C. upsaliensis can commonly be isolated from the feces of overtly healthy kittens in the Midwest United States. Because carriage may be prolonged, veterinarians should encourage good hand hygiene among owners of cats, especially among owners with new kittens in their household.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15742694/