背景:猫现在被认为是利什曼原虫的合格宿主和沙蝇媒介的血液来源。尽管犬利什曼病(CanL)在地中海盆地国家很流行,目前缺乏针对猫科动物利什曼病(FeL)的大规模流行病学研究。本研究旨在评估婴儿乳球菌感染的患病率,相关危险因素,临床体征,来自六个地中海盆地国家的家猫种群的临床病理异常。
方法:从2019年到2022年,生活在意大利(n=300)的猫(n=2067)的血液和血清样本,希腊(n=297),葡萄牙(n=295),法国(n=231),以色列(n=313),和西班牙(n=631)以及动物数据(即,年龄,性别,品种,住房条件,和地理起源),临床体征,和实验室血液测试参数。猫根据它们的年龄分组为小猫(长达1岁),年轻(1岁以上,7岁以下),成熟(7至10年),和高年级(10岁以上)。血清样本通过免疫荧光抗体试验(IFAT)和酶联免疫吸附试验(ELISA)检测婴儿乳杆菌,和血清反应阳性的猫的血液样本进行了测试。婴儿动体脱氧核糖核酸(kDNA)。在所有注册的猫中,猫免疫缺陷病毒(FIV)和猫白血病病毒(FeLV)的病毒感染都得到了分子解决。进行统计分析以评估婴儿乳球菌感染的风险与独立变量之间的关联。在婴儿乳杆菌与FIV和/或FeLV的共感染中,临床体征,和临床病理异常。
结果:总体而言,通过血清学测试,17.3%(358/2067)的猫对婴儿乳杆菌呈阳性。具体来说,24.7%来自葡萄牙,23.2%来自希腊,16.6%来自以色列,15%来自西班牙,13.3%来自法国,12.6%来自意大利。在15只血清阳性动物中检测到婴儿利什曼原虫DNA。住房条件和FIV感染被证明是FeL的危险因素。利什曼原虫血清阳性与体重减轻显着相关,淋巴结肿大,龈口炎,口腔溃疡,以及降低白蛋白和白蛋白/球蛋白比率,增加总球蛋白和总蛋白质,白细胞增多,和血小板增多症。
结论:这项研究提供了,第一次,对FeL及其临床表现的大规模流行病学调查,揭示了婴儿乳球菌在家猫中循环,特别是庇护所/自由漫游和FIV感染的动物,生活在地中海盆地的CanL特有国家。
BACKGROUND: Cats are now recognized as competent hosts for Leishmania infantum and a blood source for sand fly vectors. Although canine leishmaniosis (CanL) is endemic in Mediterranean Basin countries, large-scale epidemiological studies are lacking for feline leishmaniosis (FeL). This study aimed to assess the prevalence of L. infantum infections, associated risk factors, clinical signs, and clinicopathological abnormalities in domestic cat populations from six Mediterranean Basin countries.
METHODS: From 2019 to 2022, blood and serum samples of cats (n = 2067) living in Italy (n = 300), Greece (n = 297), Portugal (n = 295), France (n = 231), Israel (n = 313), and Spain (n = 631) were collected along with animal data (i.e., age, sex, breed, housing conditions, and geographical origin), clinical signs, and laboratory blood test parameters. Cats were grouped according to their age as kittens (up to 1 year), young (older than 1 and younger than 7 years), mature (between 7 and 10 years), and senior (older than 10 years). Serum samples were tested for L. infantum by immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and blood samples of seropositive cats were tested for L. infantum kinetoplast deoxyribonucleic acid (kDNA). Viral infection by feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline leukemia virus (FeLV) was molecularly addressed in all cats enrolled. Statistical analysis was performed to evaluate the association between the risk of L. infantum infection and independent variables, and among co-infection of L. infantum with FIV and/or FeLV, clinical signs, and clinicopathological abnormalities.
RESULTS: Overall, 17.3% (358/2067) of cats scored positive for L. infantum by serological tests. Specifically, 24.7% were from Portugal, 23.2% from Greece, 16.6% from Israel, 15% from Spain, 13.3% from France, and 12.6% from Italy. Leishmania infantum DNA was detected in 15 seropositive animals. Housing condition and FIV infection proved to be risk factors for FeL. Leishmania seropositivity was significantly associated with weight loss, lymphadenomegaly, gingivostomatitis, and oral ulcers, as well as with reduced albumin and albumin/globulin ratio, increased total globulins and total proteins, leukocytosis, and thrombocytosis.
CONCLUSIONS: This study provides, for the first time, a large-scale epidemiological survey on FeL and its clinical presentation, revealing that L. infantum circulates among domestic cats, especially shelter/free-roaming and FIV-infected animals, living in CanL endemic countries of the Mediterranean Basin.