ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Bartonella infection in cats can represent a risk to owners, particularly today when considering the increase in cat populations and their role in human bartonellosis epidemiology. In the present study, we aimed to detect Bartonella spp. in blood samples from 163 asymptomatic privately-owned cats from the metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil by using a conventional PCR test and also to evaluate the association between Bartonella spp. and hematological changes in positive cats. METHODOLOGY: PCR assays were performed targeting the Bartonella spp heat shock protein (htrA) gene and complete blood counts were also performed in all samples. Positive PCR samples were confirmed by the presence of two genes, citrate synthase (gltA) and RNA polymerase beta-subunit-encoding (rpoB). RESULTS: A total of 74.85% (122/163) of the tested cats were positive for Bartonella spp and partial sequencing confirmed to be B. henselae. All hematological findings from the 163 cats tested (PCR-positive and negative), presented normal limits. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that B. henselae is present in almost 75% asymptomatic privately-owned domestic cats in the metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. Our results also show that hematological findings in Bartonella spp. infected cats are uncommon. In this scenario, the use of PCR as a diagnostic tool in feline Bartonella infections should be considered. Finally, these results also demonstrate the potential risk of Bartonella spp. infection in the human population of the metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Over the last recent years, the number of Q fever cases have has increased throughout the world. An epidemiological investigation was performed in the area in which the first molecular documentation of Q fever in Brazil was previously reported. METHODS: Indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and PCR of Coxiella burnetii targeting the htpAB gene were performed in samples from 14 dogs (blood); 1 cat (blood); 10 goats (blood, milk, vaginal swab and anal swab); 3 sheep (blood); and 2 horses (blood). RESULTS: Two dogs, two sheep and five goats were seroreactive. DNA was amplified from 6 milk and 2 blood samples from goats and from dogs, respectively. The sequence of the amplicons exhibited 99% sequence similarity with the homologous sequence of the htpAB gene of C. burnetii RSA 331 (GenBank - CP000890). CONCLUSIONS: The results confirm C. burnetii infection in animals in Rio de Janeiro and reinforce the need for the surveillance of Q fever in Brazil.
Subject(s)
Animals, Domestic/microbiology , Coxiella burnetii/genetics , Q Fever/veterinary , Animals , Brazil , Cats , Dogs , Female , Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect , Goats , Horses , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Q Fever/diagnosis , Q Fever/microbiology , SheepABSTRACT
This article describes the first detection of Cytauxzoon felis, using molecular techniques, in a naturally infected domestic cat from Brazil, South America. Coinfection with 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum' was also found. The molecular identification of the piroplasmid species was performed by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and sequencing analysis. A 284 pb fragment of the gene encoding the 18S ribosomal RNA region was amplified and showed 99% identity with other C. felis strains from North America. In addition, PCR-RFLP (restriction fragment length polymorphism) analysis, which amplifies a 595 bp fragment of the gene encoding 16S ribosomal RNA of some bacterial species, identified the co-infecting species as 'Candidatus M. haemominutum'.
Subject(s)
Apicomplexa , Cat Diseases/microbiology , Cat Diseases/parasitology , Coinfection , Mycoplasma Infections/veterinary , Protozoan Infections, Animal/microbiology , Protozoan Infections, Animal/parasitology , Animals , Brazil , Cats , Mycoplasma Infections/microbiology , Mycoplasma Infections/parasitology , PetsABSTRACT
This article describes the first detection of Cytauxzoon felis, using molecular techniques, in a naturally infected domestic cat from Brazil, South America. Coinfection with 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum' was also found. The molecular identification of the piroplasmid species was performed by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and sequencing analysis. A 284 pb fragment of the gene encoding the 18S ribosomal RNA region was amplified and showed 99% identity with other C. felis strains from North America. In addition, PCR-RFLP (restriction fragment length polymorphism) analysis, which amplifies a 595 bp fragment of the gene encoding 16S ribosomal RNA of some bacterial species, identified the co-infecting species as 'Candidatus M. haemominutum'.
Este artigo descreve a primeira detecção de Cytauxzoon felis em um gato doméstico naturalmente infectado no Brasil, América do Sul, através de técnicas moleculares. Também foi encontrada co-infecção com 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum'. A detecção molecular da espécie do piroplasmídeo foi realizada através da reação em cadeia pela polimerase (PCR) e sequenciamento. Um fragmento de 284 pb do gene codificador da região 18S do RNA ribossomal do parasito foi sequenciada e mostrou 99% de identidade com outros isolados de C. felis da América do Norte. Ademais, através da análise por meio de PCR-RFLP (Polimorfismo no comprimento de fragmentos de restrição), que amplifica um fragmento de 595 pb do gene codificador da porção 16 do RNA ribossomal de algumas espécies de bactérias, concluiu-se que a espécie com-infectante era 'Candidatus M. haemominutum'.
