Dose-intense diminazene treatment failed in chronic Cytauxzoon felis

Abstract

Cytauxzoon felis is a hemoprotozoan parasite of cats. While many infected cats die of acute illness, some enter a chronic carrier state. To date, no treatment has been documented to clear the chronic carrier state, leaving recovered cats to act as a potential indirect source of infection via a tick vector. Diminazene diaceturate is an anti-protozoal therapy that has been suggested for use in the treatment of acute cytauxzoonosis, but which failed to clear the carrier state at the dose used in acute illness. We hypothesized that a dose-intensified regimen of diminazene could reduce or eliminate parasitemia from five domestic cats naturally infected with C felis. Cats were administered 4 mg/kg of diminazene diaceturate intramuscularly for 5 consecutive days. Clearance of the organism was assessed via semi-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and light microscopy 1, 3, 6 and 10 weeks after starting treatment. Additionally, cats were monitored for adverse drug reactions by daily observation and examination. Complete blood count, biochemical profile and urinalysis were performed at 1, 3 and 10 weeks. Adverse events were common and included profuse salivation and nausea at the time of injection, monoparesis in the injected leg, proteinuria and potential hepatotoxicity. Severity of parasitemia was not reduced. Diminazene diaceturate cannot be recommended for elimination of the carrier state of C felis infection.