Effectiveness of a 10% imidacloprid/4.5% flumethrin polymer matrix collar in reducing the risk of Bartonella spp. infection in privately owned cats

Grazia Greco,Bettina Schunack,Canio Buonavoglia,Giulia Dowgier,Grazia Carelli,Filipe Dantas-Torres,Domenico Otranto,Gioia Capelli,Emanuele Brianti,Matthias Pollmeier

doi:10.1186/s13071-018-3257-y

Abstract

BackgroundBartonella henselae, Bartonella clarridgeiae and the rare Bartonella koehlerae are zoonotic pathogens, with cats being regarded as the main reservoir hosts. The spread of the infection among cats occurs mainly via fleas and specific preventive measures need to be implemented. The effectiveness of a 10% imidacloprid/4.5% flumethrin polymer matrix collar (Seresto®, Bayer Animal Health), registered to prevent flea and tick infestations, in reducing the risk of Bartonella spp. infection in privately owned cats, was assessed in a prospective longitudinal study.MethodsIn March-May 2015 [Day 0 (D0)], 204 privately-owned cats from the Aeolian Islands (Sicily) were collared (G1, n = 104) or left as controls (G2, n = 100). The bacteraemia of Bartonella spp. was assessed at enrolment (D0) and study closure (D360) by PCR and DNA sequencing both prior to and after an enrichment step, using Bartonella alpha proteobacteria growth medium (BAPGM).ResultsA total of 152 cats completed the study with 3 in G1 and 10 in G2 being positive for Bartonella spp. Bartonella henselae genotype I ZF1 (1.35%) and genotype II Fizz/Cal-1 (6.76%) as well as B. clarridgeiae (5.41%) were detected in cats of G2. Bartonella clarridgeiae was the only species detected in G1. Based on the yearly crude incidence of Bartonella spp. infection (i.e. 3.85% in G1 and 13.51% in G2; P = 0.03) the Seresto® collar achieved a preventative efficacy of 71.54%. The incidence of Bartonella spp. infection was more frequent in flea-infested cats (6/33, 18.18%) than in uninfested ones (7/112, 5.88%) (P = 0.036).ConclusionsCats living in the Aeolian Islands are exposed to B. henselae and B. clarridgeiae. The Seresto® collar provided significant risk reduction against Bartonella spp. infection in outdoor cats under field conditions. Such a preventative tool could be a key contribution for decreasing the risk of Bartonella spp. infection in cats and thus ultimately to humans.

Highlights

Bartonella henselae, Bartonella clarridgeiae and the rare Bartonella koehlerae are zoonotic pathogens, with cats being regarded as the main reservoir hosts
B. henselae was experimentally transmitted among cats by transferring fleas fed on naturally infected cats to specific pathogen-free (SPF) cats, and by intradermal injection of excrement collected from fleas fed on B. henselae-infected cats [17,18,19,20]
On samples collected on the final study day (D360), internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-PCR assays performed on both DNA extracted from EDTA blood samples and after Bartonella alpha proteobacteria growth medium (BAPGM) enrichment step yielded identical results

Summary

Introduction

Bartonella henselae, Bartonella clarridgeiae and the rare Bartonella koehlerae are zoonotic pathogens, with cats being regarded as the main reservoir hosts. The spread of the infection among cats occurs mainly via fleas and specific preventive measures need to be implemented. About 35 species of Bartonella, small intracellular, fastidious, Gram-negative alpha-proteobacteria, have been described so far [1] These bacteria are transmitted by a number of vectors, including fleas, and are highly adapted to one or more mammalian hosts, often causing a long-lasting intra-erythrocytic bacteraemia as a hallmark of infection [2, 3]. Cats are the natural reservoir of Bartonella henselae and, less commonly, of Bartonella clarridgeiae and the rare Bartonella koehlerae [4,5,6]. One to three weeks after infection by B. henselae cats develop an apparently asymptomatic relapsing bacteraemia, which may persist for months or years [20, 21]

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