Abstract
BackgroundIn more recent years, international travel with cats has increased. The distribution of cat parasites can change with this movement. Already, subtropical and tropical parasites have been reported by veterinarians in areas where they are not naturally present. Understanding the prevalence of tropical and subtropical parasites in Caribbean islands and the risk of importation to temperate areas could enable improved prevention recommendations and border control import requirements.MethodsWe present a study focused on cat owning students enrolled in a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) programme on St Kitts. Owners were interviewed about their cats and their use of parasiticides. Cats were examined for Trichuris felis and Platynosomum fastosum using sugar flotation, Lynxacarus radovskyi using an adhesive tape test, and Dirofilaria immitis using commercial antigen and antibody tests.ResultsData on 115 cats owned by 87 DVM students were collected and 90 cats, all expected to travel to the USA, were examined. Most of the cats were adults and born in St Kitts. Prevalence was reported as 6.8% (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.2–15.1%) for T. felis, 16.2% (95% CI: 8.7–26.6%) for P. fastosum and 6.8% (95% CI: 2.5–14.3%) for L. radovskyi. All D. immitis tests were negative. DVM students reported a high level of deworming (83.3% of the cats), but the number of cats treated per recommendations were low (56.1% for endoparasites and 70.8% for ectoparasites). Also, there was a lack of clarity regarding the purpose of the treatments used and treatments did not appear to be targeted for the parasites present.ConclusionOur results indicate a low prevalence of the parasites of interest in the DVM student cat population compared to other prevalence studies from the Caribbean. However, a degree of non-compliance with parasiticide uses and the high number of cats traveling to the USA indicate a medium risk of importation of tropical and subtropical cat parasites to temperate areas. We recommend stronger health inspections and health screening requirements at the borders including the development of specific parasiticide protocols for cat importation.
Highlights
In the last decades, movement of people for tourism and emigration has increased
In this study, the target population was the cats owned by Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (RUSVM) Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) students during their preclinical training on St Kitts
Prevalences for P. fastosum, T. felis and L. radovskyi in male cats were 20%, 8.3% and 2.2%, respectively; prevalences in female cats were 15.8%, 5.3% and 11.6%
Summary
Movement of people for tourism and emigration has increased. With emigration, movement of pets between countries and continents is frequent.Concurrently, travel with pets during holidays has increased. Movement of pets between countries and continents is frequent. Case reports of imported ill pets have been published from various countries and veterinarians are Ketzis et al Parasites Vectors (2020) 13:488 diagnosing tropical infectious diseases, in geographical locations where they do not typically occur [4]. In most cases, these are only single occurrences of non-endemic diseases in cats and dogs that have travelled or been recently imported. The distribution of cat parasites can change with this movement. Subtropical and tropical parasites have been reported by veterinarians in areas where they are not naturally present. Understanding the prevalence of tropical and subtropical parasites in Caribbean islands and the risk of importation to temperate areas could enable improved prevention recommendations and border control import requirements
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