Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
First case of Cytauxzoon infection in a cat from Portugal
By Alho, Ana Margarida et al.·Published in Parasites & vectors·2016·Faculty of Veterinary Medicine·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: First report of Cytauxzoon sp. infection in a domestic cat from Portugal.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 2-year-old mixed breed male cat from Portugal was brought to the vet with severe lethargy, loss of appetite, and a high fever. Blood tests showed he had severe anemia and other blood issues, and imaging revealed fluid in his chest and abdomen, along with an enlarged spleen. Further testing confirmed he was infected with a type of parasite called Cytauxzoon, which is spread by ticks. This case highlights a new strain of Cytauxzoon that could pose a risk to domestic cats. Treatment details weren't specified, but prompt veterinary care is crucial for recovery from such infections.
People also search for: cat lethargy and fever · tick-borne disease in cats · Cytauxzoon infection treatment
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Cytauxzoonosis is an emerging and life-threatening tick-borne feline disease caused by haemoprotozoan parasites of the genus Cytauxzoon. Information regarding epidemiological and clinical presentation of infections by species other than Cytauxzoon felis is scant. A case of Cytauxzoon sp. infection is described in a 2-year-old mixed breed male domestic cat from Portugal, presenting a history of acute lethargy, anorexia and pyrexia. RESULTS: Complete blood count revealed a severe anaemia, leucocytosis and thrombocytopenia. A pleural effusion was noticed on thoracic radiograph, and marked splenomegaly and free abdominal fluid were visualized by ultrasound. A molecular screening for the detection of causative agents of infectious anaemia was performed, and a positive result for Piroplasmorida was obtained. DNA sequencing of a 743 bp amplicon of the 18S rRNA gene (GenBank accession no. KU710344) revealed 99.9 % identity with Cytauxzoon manul. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of Cytauxzoon sp. (clustering together with C. manul) in a felid from Portugal. Clinical manifestations along with molecular analysis suggest the hypothesis that domestic cats might be infected with and serve as a reservoir host for C. manul.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27160193/