Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cryptosporidium infection risk factors in cats in Turin
By Rambozzi, Luisa et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2007·Department of Animal Production, Italy·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Prevalence of cryptosporidian infection in cats in Turin and analysis of risk factors.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A study found that 49 out of 200 cats tested positive for a parasite called Cryptosporidium, which can cause diarrhea. The cats ranged in age from 2 months to 18 years, and those under one year old, fed a home-cooked diet, or already having diarrhea were more likely to be infected. Other parasites present also increased the risk. If your cat is experiencing diarrhea, especially if they are young or on a home-cooked diet, it’s a good idea to talk to your vet about testing for this parasite and possible treatments.
People also search for: cat diarrhea causes · Cryptosporidium in cats · home-cooked diet cat health · kitten diarrhea treatment
Abstract
An epidemiological study was carried out to identify factors associated with the risk of cryptosporidian infection in cats. Faecal samples from 200 domestic cats were collected in the small animal clinic at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Turin (north-west Italy). The faecal samples were analysed for the presence of Cryptosporidium species oocysts using a centrifugation concentration floatation method. For each cat, age, sex, breed, indoor/outdoor status, diet, diarrhoea and presence of other enteric parasites were analysed for association with Cryptosporidium species infection. Cryptosporidia oocysts were identified in 49 cats (24.5%) aged from 2 months to 18 years. Statistical analysis revealed that four variables are significantly associated with an increased risk of infection: less than 1 year of age (chi(2)=6.5, P=0.01), feeding home-cooked diet (chi(2)=6.92, P<0.01), presence of diarrhoea (chi(2)=4.34, P<0.037), and presence of other enteric parasites (chi(2)=10.31, P<0.01). No statistical differences were found for sex (chi(2)=1.56, P=0.21), breed (chi(2)=0.78, P=0.38) and outdoor/indoor status (chi(2)=1.49, P=0.22). Cryptosporidium species was the parasite most frequently detected in the cats surveyed.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17513152/