Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
First case of leishmaniasis in a cat in Trinidad and Tobago
By Pargass, Indira et al.·Published in Veterinary parasitology, regional studies and reports·2023·School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM)·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: First reported case of leishmaniasis in a cat in Trinidad and Tobago.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 3-year-old female domestic shorthair cat was brought to the vet with a swollen nose and small lumps on her ears. Tests showed some unusual blood protein levels, and further examination revealed she had an infection caused by Leishmania, a parasite often spread by sandflies. This case is notable as it's the first documented instance of this specific Leishmania infection in a cat in Trinidad and Tobago. The cat's treatment plan would typically involve medications to combat the infection, but specific treatment details were not provided.
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Abstract
A 3-year-old, female, domestic shorthair cat, was presented to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at the School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM), Trinidad and Tobago for a swollen nose, and multiple, variably sized small masses on both ears. The initial diagnostic tests included a CBC, serum biochemistry profile, cytological evaluation of masses on the ear and nose, and FeLV/FIV testing. The CBC and biochemistry results were unremarkable except for a hyperproteinaemia and hyperglobulinemia. Cytology of the nose and ear lesions revealed mixed inflammation and high numbers of intracellular and extracellular organisms consistent with Leishmania amastigotes. The cat was FeLV/FIV negative. Histopathology and Leishmania IFA and PCR analysis were subsequently performed, confirming the Leishmania diagnosis. The PCR, DNA sequencing and phylogenetic tree analyses identified L. amazonensis. This is the first reported case of L. amazonensis infection in a domestic animal in Trinidad with molecular characterization indicating it exists in the region and is likely being transmitted by sandflies.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37321792/