RT Journal Article
T1 Feline leishmaniosis in the Mediterranean Basin: a multicenter study
A1 Carbonara, Mariaelisa
A1 Iatta, Roberta
A1 Miró Corrales, Guadalupe
A1 Montoya Matute, Ana
A1 Benelli, Giovanni
A1 Mendoza-Roldan, Jairo Alfonso
A1 Papadopoulos, Elias
A1 Lima, Clara
A1 Bouhsira, Emilie
A1 Nachum‑Biala, Yaarit
A1 Decaro, Nicola
A1 Schunack, Bettina
A1 Baneth, Gad
A1 Otranto, Domenico
AB 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.
PB Springer
SN 1756-3305
YR 2024
FD 2024-08-19
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/107972
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/107972
LA eng
NO Carbonara, M., Iatta, R., Miró, G. et al. Feline leishmaniosis in the Mediterranean Basin: a multicenter study. Parasites Vectors 17, 346 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-024-06419-x
DS Docta Complutense
RD 10 abr 2025