Abstract
Fifty-six cats with naturally occurring Babesia felis infection were studied. No breed or sex predilection could be identified, but there was an apparent predilection for young adult cats less than 3 years of age. Macrocytic, hypochromic, regenerative anaemia was present in 57% of the cats and in-saline agglutination tests were positive in 16%. No characteristic changes were observed in total or differential leukocyte counts. Thrombocyte counts were variable and thrombocytopaenia was an inconsistent finding. Hepatic cytosol enzyme activity and total bilirubin concentrations were elevated in the majority of cats. Serum protein values were mostly normal, but increased values were occasionally observed and polyclonal gammopathies were observed in all cats with increased total globulin concentrations. No remarkable changes in renal parameters were observed. A variety of electrolyte abnormalities occurred in a number of cats, but no consistent pattern of change could be identified. A close correlation was evident between peripheral and central parasite counts. Concurrent infections with Haemobartonella felis, feline immunodeficiency virus and/or feline leukemia virus were identified in a number of cats.
Highlights
To date, 6 piroplasms of the cat family have been reported: Babesia felis in an African wild cat in Sudan
Felis sylvestris)[56] in 19298; Babesiella felis in a puma (Felis concolor) in 19345; Nuttallia felis var. domestica in a domestic cat in 193721; B. cati in an Indian wild cat (Felis catus) in 195040; B. herpailuri in a jaguarundi (Herpailurus yaguarundi) in South America in 19679; and B. pantherae in a leopard (Panthera pardus) in Kenya in 197210
The high prevalence of babesiosis in young cats is in agreement with previous findings[13], and supports the possibility that cats in endemic areas contract the infection early in life and become subclinical carriers in a state of so-called premunity
Summary
6 piroplasms of the cat family have been reported: Babesia felis in an African wild cat in Sudan Domestica in a domestic cat in 193721; B. cati in an Indian wild cat (Felis catus) in 195040; B. herpailuri in a jaguarundi (Herpailurus yaguarundi) in South America in 19679; and B. pantherae in a leopard (Panthera pardus) in Kenya in 197210. Confusion surrounding this nomenclature led to a proposal by Dennig and Brocklesby[10] that all feline piroplasms should be divided into either of 2 small (B. felis and B.cati) or 2 large Babesia spp. A small piroplasm recently isolated from lions (Panthera leo) in the Kruger National aDepartment of Companion Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa.
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