Abstract
BackgroundDomestic cats can be infested by a large range of parasite species. Parasitic infestations may cause very different clinical signs. Endoparasites and ectoparasites are rarely explored in the same study and therefore multiparasitism is poorly documented. The present survey aimed to improve knowledge of the prevalence and risk factors associated with ecto- and endoparasite infestations in owned cats in Europe.MethodsFrom March 2012 to May 2013, 1519 owned cats were included in a multicenter study conducted in 9 veterinary faculties throughout Europe (Austria, Belgium, France, Hungary, Italy, Romania and Spain). For each cat, ectoparasites were checked by combing of the coat surface associated with otoscopic evaluation and microscopy on cerumen samples. Endoparasites were identified by standard coproscopical examinations performed on fresh faecal samples. Risk factors and their influence on parasitism were evaluated by univariate analysis followed by a multivariate statistical analysis (including center of examination, age, outdoor access, multipet status, and frequency of treatments as main criteria) with logistic regression models.ResultsOverall, 50.7% of cats resulted positive for at least one internal or one external parasite species. Ectoparasites were found in 29.6% of cats (CI95 27.3-32.0%). Otodectes cynotis was the most frequently identified species (17.4%), followed by fleas (15.5%). Endoparasites were identified in 35.1% of the cats (CI95 32.7-35.7%), including gastro-intestinal helminths in 25.7% (CI95 23.5-28.0), respiratory nematodes in 5.5% (CI95 4.2-7.0%) and protozoans in 13.5% (CI95 11.8-15.3%). Toxocara cati was the most commonly diagnosed endoparasite (19.7%, CI95 17.8-21.8%). Co-infestation with endoparasites and ectoparasites was found in 14.0% of the cats, and 11.9% harbored both ectoparasites and gastro-intestinal helminths.Age, outdoor access, living with other pets, and anthelmintic or insecticide treatments were significantly associated with the prevalence of various parasites.ConclusionsThis survey demonstrates that parasitism is not a rare event in European owned cat populations. The prevalence of multi-parasitism is significantly greater than expected by chance and hence there is tendency for some individual cats to be more prone to infestation by both endo- and ectoparasites due to common risk factors.
Highlights
Domestic cats can be infested by a large range of parasite species
In Europe, domestic cats can be infested by a wide range of endo- and ectoparasites
Toxoplasma gondii is of major importance in public health, it is recognized that the main source of infection for humans is related to consumption of meat and less to the occysts [7,8,9]
Summary
Domestic cats can be infested by a large range of parasite species. Parasitic infestations may cause very different clinical signs. Some parasites of cats have a zoonotic potential, either through close contact with parasitized animals or through exposure to a contaminated environment [2,3,4,5,6]. This is the case for some nematodes such as Toxocara cati and Ancylostoma tubaeformae, which are responsible for human visceral/ocular and cutaneous larva migrans, respectively [3,4,5]. Ectoparasites can cause direct damage when infesting pets, such as discomfort, pruritus and allergic reactions, but they have a potential vectorial role: fleas are for instance involved in the transmission of zoonotic pathogens, especially Bartonella henselae, the causative agent of cat-scratch disease [10,11]
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