First autochthonous clinical case of Hepatozoon silvestris in a domestic cat in Italy with unusual presentation

Abstract

Hepatozoon spp. is the causative agent of a vector-borne parasitic disease in many animal species. In felids, Hepatozoon felis, Hepatozoon canis and Hepatozoon silvestris have been molecularly isolated. Hepatozoonosis usually causes asymptomatic infections in domestic cats, but clinical cases have recently been reported in Europe. We describe the first Italian case of hepatozoonosis in a cat with an unusual presentation. An 11-year-old neutered European shorthair cat was urgently hospitalized for intestinal intussusception. Hematology, biochemistry, FIV-FeLV tests, blood smears and molecular investigation targeting the 18S rRNA gene of Hepatozoon spp. were performed on blood samples; in addition, histological and molecular investigations were performed to analyze surgical samples to identify Hepatozoon infection. Hepatozoon gamonts were detected in granulocytes in the blood smear, and Hepatozoon spp. DNA was confirmed by PCR on blood. The intussusception was caused by a sessile endoluminal nodule that was surgically removed. Histologically, many elements referring to parasitic tissue forms were identified in the intestinal cells, and then the specimens were molecularly confirmed to harbor H. silvestris. This is the first description of symptomatic hepatozoonosis in a domestic cat in Italy. Hepatozoon silvestris has been described in wild felids, which are usually resilient to the infection, whereas the domestic cat seems to be more susceptible. Indeed, H. silvestris in cats usually presents tropism for skeletal muscle and myocardium with subsequent clinical manifestations. This is the first description of a domestic cat with H. silvestris localized in the intestinal epithelium and associated with intussusception. Graphical abstract

Hepatozoon (Eucoccidiorida: Hepatozoidae) in wild mammals of the Americas: a systematic review

“…Furthermore, spillover of Hepatozoon spp. in atypical hosts may lead to infections more virulent than those observed in natural hosts [ 196 – 198 ].…”

Manifestação clínica atípica de infecção por Hepatozoon spp. em cadela no Brasil

“…Sendo assim, diversos autores descrevem novas apresentações da doença em pequenos animais, tais quais a infecção de espécies domésticas por cepas silvestres, novas rotas de transmissão como a ingestão de formas infectantes na musculatura e transmissão vertical. Além disso, foram descritos sintomas sistêmicos devida formação de cistos em diversos órgãos como: intestino, rins, fígado e baço (SCHÄFER et al, 2023;SIMONATO et al, 2022;JOHNSON, et al, 2009;LITTLE et al, 2009;PALUDO et al, 2005).…”

“…Ao modo que as alterações nervosas encontradas na cadela podem estar correlacionadas com a reação inflamatória causada pela liberação dos merozoítos (SIMONATO et al, 2022;LIMA et al, 2017).…”