Feline and canine leishmaniosis and other vector-borne diseases in the Aeolian Islands: Pathogen and vector circulation in a confined environment

Abstract

Vector-borne diseases (VBDs) are prevalently investigated in dogs. Studies on feline VBDs are scant, though feline leishmaniosis (FeL) is increasingly recognised as a disease of cats in endemic areas. Comprehensive investigations on the distribution of VBDs in populations of cats and dogs living in relatively small geographical areas, such as islands, are currently lacking. In this study the prevalence of Leishmania infantum and other VBD pathogens was assessed in cohorts of cats and dogs living in the Aeolian Islands. Autochthonous animals (330 cats and 263 dogs) of different age and sex were sampled. Blood and conjunctival samples were collected from cats and dogs for serological and molecular testing. Eighty-five (25.8%) cats were positive for L. infantum, 13 (3.9%) for Bartonella spp. and 1 (0.3%) for Hepatozoon felis. One-hundred and ten dogs (41.8%) were positive for L. infantum and three (1.1%) for Hepatozoon canis. The incidence of L. infantum infection in cats positive after one season of exposure to sand fly was 14.7%. Leishmania infantum prevalence and year incidence were higher in dogs than in cats (p=0.0001 and p=0.0003, respectively). Thirty-four cats (10.3%) scored positive for ticks (mean intensity rate of infestation, 2.03±1.4), which were identified to the species level as Ixodes ventalloi and Rhipicephalus pusillus. Conversely, Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (s.l.) was the only species identified in dogs (10.6%). A larger prevalence of infestation by Ctenocephalides felis was recorded in cats (n=91; 27.6%) than in dogs (n=33; 12.5%) (p=0.0001). In addition, one female Nosopsyllus fasciatus (syn. Ceratophyllus fasciatus) and one male Spilopsyllus cuniculi were also identified in flea-infected cats. VBDs are endemic in the Aeolian Islands being L. infantum the most prevalent vector-borne pathogen circulating between cats and dogs. The overall seroprevalence of FeL herein recorded is higher than that assessed, only by IFAT, in populations of cats in Greece and in Spain. Because L. infantum and VBDs are more commonly associated with dogs, the recognition of cats as hosts of different vector-borne pathogens is of paramount importance towards a better management of these diseases in both animals and humans.

Detection of Leishmania spp. using parasitological, serological and molecular assays in asymptomatic and sick cats from an endemic area of visceral leishmaniosis in Brazil

“…However, little is known about the clinical manifestations and immune response to the disease in these animals, which is well-established in dogs. Thus, various techniques have been used in the diagnosis of FL, such as serological, parasitological and molecular techniques [5,7,11,12,14,18,32,41].…”

“…Feline leishmaniosis (FL) cases have been reported in South America [5,[7][8][9][10][11], and in Europe [12][13][14][15][16][17][18] and Asia [19][20][21]. More properly in many cats the Leishmania infection is associated with an immunosuppressive condition due to feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus, and for this reason there can be an overlap of clinical symptoms or the immunosuppression can promote the development of visceral forms of leishmaniosis [22].…”

Molecular detection of vector-borne pathogens in dogs and cats from Qatar

“…Some of these pathogens may represent a serious threat to animal health and welfare, and constitute a diagnostic challenge to practitioners due to the wide spectrum of clinical manifestations, the long prepatent periods and the frequent occurrence of co-infections [2]. For instance, pathogens belonging to the genera Anaplasma , Babesia , Ehrlichia , Hepatozoon and Rickettsia cause tick-borne diseases of major concern in dogs and cats [3–6]. …”

Prevention of feline leishmaniosis with an imidacloprid 10%/flumethrin 4.5% polymer matrix collar

“…These data have ultimately provided further evidence on the possible role of cats as reservoirs for L. infantum . A recent study on vector-borne diseases (VBDs) of cats and dogs of the Aeolian Islands (Sicily, southern Italy), an endemic area for L. infantum , reported prevalence of 26% and 42% in cats and dogs, respectively, by serological and molecular methods [20]. In addition, up to 15% yearly incidence of L. infantum infection was assessed in cats exposed to one transmission season, indicating that, like dogs, cats living in endemic areas are exposed to the infection [20].…”