Journal
REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE PARASITOLOGIA VETERINARIA
Volume 32, Issue 2, Pages -Publisher
BRAZILIAN COLL VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY
DOI: 10.1590/S1984-29612023035
Keywords
Cats; hyperproteinemia; hypoalbuminemia; Leishmania infantum; thrombocytopenia
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This study tested 166 cats from two animal shelters for Leishmania spp. infection using various diagnostic methods. The results showed that ELISA had a 15% positivity rate, IFAT had a 53.6% positivity rate, both PCRs had a 3.6% positivity rate, and PA had a 1.8% positivity rate. Genetic analysis confirmed the presence of Leishmania infantum. Further analysis of selected cats revealed significant abnormalities in platelet counts and protein levels associated with Leishmania spp. infection. These findings suggest that cats exhibiting clinical signs and hematological/biochemical changes should be tested for Leishmania spp. infection in endemic areas.
One hundred and sixty-six cats from two animal shelters were subjected to enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), indirect immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT), conventional polymerase chain reaction (cPCR), quantitative PCR (qPCR) and parasitological tests (PA) for the diagnosis of Leishmania spp. Among them, 15% (25/166), 53.6% (89/166), 3.6% (06/166) and 1.8% (03/166) were positive by ELISA, IFAT, both PCRs and PA, respectively. The sequencing of ITS-1 PCR amplicons revealed a 100% match with Leishmania infantum. After the Leishmania spp. survey, 12 cats were selected and divided into two groups for clinical, hematological, and biochemical analysis: six L. infantum positive cats (G1) and six Leishmania spp. negative cats (G2). All the cats were negative for feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline leukemia virus (FeLV). A statistical analysis indicated significantly low platelet counts and significant hyperproteinemia associated with hypoalbuminemia in positive cats (p<0.05). Our results suggest that in endemic areas, cats with clinical signs of feline leishmaniosis (such as skin lesions, weight loss and/or enlarged lymph nodes) and that exhibit hematological and biochemical changes, such as low platelet counts and hyperproteinemia with hypoalbuminemia, should be tested for Leishmania spp. infection.
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