Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Leishmania infection found in 3.9% of cats at Brazil hospital
By Paiva, Brenda Lopes et al.·Published in Veterinary parasitology, regional studies and reports·2024·Centro Universitá, Brazil·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Prevalence of Leishmania infection in 205 cats from a referral hospital population in Brazil (2021-2022).
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 205 cats from a referral hospital in Brazil were tested for Leishmania infection, a disease that can affect both pets and people. Out of these cats, 8 tested positive, and 3 of those showed symptoms like weight loss and skin lesions. Interestingly, outdoor cats were more likely to be infected than those that stayed indoors. This highlights the importance of keeping cats safe from sand flies, which spread the disease. Further research is needed to better understand how Leishmania affects cats and to find ways to protect them.
People also search for: cat leishmaniasis symptoms · how to protect cats from sand flies · outdoor cat disease risks
Abstract
Leishmaniases are a group of neglected diseases of significant public health concern, with Brazil being the primary focus of this disease in the Americas. The municipality of Sobral, in the state of Ceará, is a historical focus of visceral leishmaniasis in both humans and dogs, but data on Leishmania spp. infections in cats are limited. Between April 2021 and February 2022, 205 cats from a referral hospital population were sampled and tested for Leishmania spp. by real-time PCR. Eight cats (3.9%; 95% CI: 1.7-7.5%) tested positive. Among these, three (37.5%) displayed clinical signs compatible with feline leishmaniosis. Non-domiciled cats showed significantly higher positivity compared to domiciled ones (Fisher's exact test, P = 0.0124). Considering their potential role as reservoirs of L. infantum, it is crucial to conduct further studies to understand the Leishmania spp. circulating among cats in Sobral and to implement measures for reducing their exposure to phlebotomine sand fly vectors in this important focus of leishmaniases.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39025541/