Current status of L. infantum infection in stray cats in the Madrid region (Spain): implications for the recent outbreak of human leishmaniosis?

Particle and Fibre Toxicology

Ana Montoya²  Valentina Marino²  Isabel Canorea²  Manuel García¹  Leticia Hernández²  Rosa Gálvez²  Rocío Checa²  Cristina Rupérez²  Guadalupe Miró² 

[1] Asociación para la Liberación y el Bienestar Animal, ALBA, Madrid;Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid

关键词: Spain;    PCR;    IFAT;    Toxocara cati;    Feline retroviruses;    Toxoplasma gondii;    L. infantum;    Cat;   

Others  :  809751
DOI  :  10.1186/1756-3305-7-112

 received in 2014-01-17, accepted in 2014-03-04,  发布年份 2014

【 摘 要 】

Background

Since 2009, the incidence of human leishmaniosis in the SW of the Madrid region has been unusually high. Although dogs are the main reservoir for this disease, a role played by dogs in this outbreak has been ruled out and investigators are now considering other hosts (eg. cats, rabbits, hares) as possible alternative reservoirs.

This study was designed to examine the Leishmania infantum status of stray cats in Madrid to assess its possible implications in the human leishmaniosis outbreak.

Methods

346 captured stray cats were tested for antibodies against L. infantum by the indirect fluorescent antibody technique (IFAT) and nested-PCR methods were used to detect Leishmania DNA in blood samples of cats testing seropositive for L. infantum and/or retroviruses infection. Cats were also tested for Toxoplasma gondii using the direct agglutination test (DAT) and feline leukemia virus (FeLV) antigen and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) antibodies (PetChek* FIV/FeLV). The presence of intestinal parasites was determined using a routine coprological method.

Results

The seroprevalence of L. infantum infection (cut off ≥ 1/100) was 3.2% (11/346). However, it was not possible to amplify Leishmania DNA in any of the blood samples. Seropositivity was not associated with sex, age, capture site, clinical status, retrovirus infection or T. gondii seropositivity. Of the 11 cats seropositive for L. infantum, 3 also tested positive for FIV, none for FeLV and 6 for T. gondii. It should be mentioned that the prevalence of FeLV p27 antigen was 4% and of FIV antibody was 9.2%. Although the seroprevalence of T. gondii was quite high at 53.5%, no T. gondii oocysts were found in any of the faeces samples analysed (n = 287). In contrast, intestinal parasites were detected in 76 (26.5%) samples, Toxocara cati being the most prevalent.

Conclusions

Our results suggest a stable L. infantum infection situation among the stray cats of the Madrid area; the disease is uncommon and no clinical cases have been reported to date. The detection of other zoonotic parasites such as T. gondii and T. cati in stray cats indicates a need to adopt strict control measures in this population.

【 授权许可】

   
2014 Miró et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

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