Abstract
BackgroundFeline vector-borne pathogens (FeVBPs) have been increasingly investigated for their impact on cat health and their zoonotic potential. The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence of FeVBPs and haemoplasmas in cats across Italy and to identify potential risk factors linked to their occurrence.MethodsBlood samples from 958 owned cats living in the North (n = 556), Centre (n = 173) and South (n = 229) of Italy were tested for Babesia spp., Hepatozoon spp., Ehrlichia spp., Anaplasma spp. and filarioids by conventional PCR (cPCR) and for haemoplasmas and Bartonella spp. by SYBR green real-time PCR. Cats included in the study represent a sub-sample from a larger number of animals enrolled in a previous study, which were selected based on the geographical origin. Data on cats’ positivity for Leishmania infantum, feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) and for feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), available from the previous study, were included and examined. Potential risk factors for pathogen infection were assessed in relationship to categorical variables including sex, geographical origin, breed, neutering status and age of cats.ResultsOut of the 958 cats, 194 (20.2%) were positive for at least one of the tested pathogens, 89 (16%) from the North, 32 (18.5%) from the Centre and 73 (31.9%) from the South of Italy. A high prevalence of FeVBPs was detected in male cats (n = 125, 27.8%), living in the southern part of the country (n = 73, 31.9%), younger than 18 months of age (n = 24, 22.4%) and not neutered (n = 39; 27.5%). In particular, 24 cats (2.5%) tested PCR-positive for Bartonella spp., of which 1.6% for B. henselae and 0.9% for B. clarridgeiae. A total of 111 cats scored PCR-positive for haemoplasmas (11.6%), specifically “Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum” (n = 95, 9.9%), M. haemofelis (n = 14, 1.5%) and “Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis” (n = 2, 0.2%). Moreover, 39, 31 and 8 cats were positive for FeLV (4.1%), L. infantum (3.2%) and FIV (0.8%), respectively. Co-infections were registered for 19 (9.8%) cats.ConclusionsThese results confirm the occurrence of haemoplasmas and FeVBPs throughout Italy. Preventive measures to protect both animal and human health should be carried out also for owned cats, even if no health status of animals has been assessed in this study.
Highlights
Feline vector-borne pathogens (FeVBPs) have been increasingly investigated for their impact on cat health and their zoonotic potential
A statistically significant difference in pathogen prevalence of infection was detected for male cats (n = 125, 28%, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 24.0–32.4%, χ2 = 31.2, df = 1, P < 0.0001), not neutered cats (n = 39, 27.5%, 95% CI: 20.7–35.5%, χ2 = 5.4, df = 1, P = 0.02) and cats living in southern Italy (n = 73, 31.9%, 95% CI: 26–38.2%, N vs S: χ2 = 24.9, df = 1, P < 0.0001; C vs S: χ2 = 9.1, df = 1, P = 0.002)
Conclusions this study presents some limitations due to the lack of information on the health status and ectoparasitic treatments in the enrolled cats, data presented indicate that FeVBPs and haemoplasmas should be more investigated in privately-owned cats
Summary
Feline vector-borne pathogens (FeVBPs) have been increasingly investigated for their impact on cat health and their zoonotic potential. FeVBDs have been reported in cat populations in different countries of the Mediterranean basin (e.g. Cyprus, Greece, Spain and Italy) and in Portugal, with large variability in their prevalence due to different diagnostic techniques employed (i.e. serological and/or molecular tests), the animals’ lifestyle (i.e. indoor, outdoor) as well as the sample size tested [5, 11, 15, 18, 20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27]. The aim of this study was to obtain data on the prevalence of feline vector-borne pathogens (FeVBPs) and haemoplasma infections in privately owned cats from different Italian regions using a comprehensive molecular methodology, and to assess the potential role of cats as reservoirs and potential sources of microorganisms that could be transmitted to humans
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