ABSTRACT
Leishmania infections are endemic in dogs in central and southern regions of Italy while feline leishmaniosis has only been sporadically described in these areas and few studies have been reported on serological and molecular investigation of infections in domestic cats. The purpose of this study is to assess the presence of Leishmania infantum infection in cats from Sardinia, a typical endemic area of leishmaniasis in Italy. Ninety cats attended at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the University of Sassari, Italy, were tested for L. infantum using the indirect immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) test and PCR. Serological (10%) and molecular (5.5%) detection in this population was low, with antibody titres ranging from 1/40 to 1/80. Only one cat was simultaneously positive by IFAT and PCR. This study shows the presence of L. infantum infection in cats living in Sardinia, with a prevalence that falls within the ranges described in other endemic areas and confirms the need of further research to better characterize the epidemiologic role of cats in the transmission of this infection.
Subject(s)
Antibodies, Protozoan/blood , Cat Diseases/diagnosis , Cats/parasitology , Leishmania infantum/genetics , Leishmaniasis, Visceral/veterinary , Animals , Antibodies, Helminth/blood , Cat Diseases/parasitology , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Female , Italy/epidemiology , Leishmaniasis, Visceral/diagnosis , Male , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Seroepidemiologic StudiesABSTRACT
Bacterial species of the genus Anaplasma are tick transmitted pathogens that negatively impact on animal productions and generate veterinary and public health concerns. This paper reports the identification, molecular characterization and phylogeny of novel unclassified A. platys-like strains in cats. Interestingly, these novel strains are closely related to conspecific strains recently identified in ruminants, and significantly differ from A. platys. A. platys-like strains in cats, unlike ruminants strains, show tropism for platelets. Results have implications in the diagnostic scenario of animal anaplasmosis and provide background for reconstructing the evolutionary history of species genetically related to A. platys.
Subject(s)
Anaplasma/classification , Anaplasmosis/epidemiology , Cat Diseases/epidemiology , Anaplasma/genetics , Anaplasma/isolation & purification , Anaplasmosis/microbiology , Animals , Bacterial Proteins/genetics , Base Sequence , Cat Diseases/microbiology , Cats , DNA, Bacterial/chemistry , DNA, Bacterial/genetics , Molecular Epidemiology , Molecular Sequence Data , Phylogeny , Sequence Analysis, DNA/veterinary , TropismSubject(s)
Dog Diseases/diagnosis , Ear Auricle/microbiology , Leprosy/veterinary , Mycobacterium/isolation & purification , Alopecia/microbiology , Alopecia/veterinary , Animals , Diagnosis, Differential , Dog Diseases/microbiology , Dogs , Europe , Female , Leprosy/diagnosis , Leprosy/microbiology , Mycobacterium/classification , Ulcer/microbiology , Ulcer/veterinaryABSTRACT
Bartonella henselae and Bartonella clarridgeiae were isolated in two cats in Sardinia, Italy. Infection by B. clarridgeiae was characterized by fever and submandibular lymph nodes enlargement while B. henselae infection was asymptomatic. This is the first report of B. clarridgeiae in a cat in Italy and the first isolation of B. henselae and B. clarridgeiae in Sardinia.
Subject(s)
Bartonella Infections/veterinary , Bartonella/isolation & purification , Cat Diseases/microbiology , Animals , Bartonella Infections/diagnosis , Bartonella henselae/isolation & purification , Cat Diseases/diagnosis , Cats , DNA, Bacterial/genetics , DNA, Bacterial/isolation & purification , Disease Reservoirs/veterinary , Fever/microbiology , Fever/veterinary , Italy , Lymph Nodes/microbiology , Lymph Nodes/pathology , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Weight LossSubject(s)
Bartonella Infections/epidemiology , Bartonella Infections/veterinary , Cat Diseases/epidemiology , Cat Diseases/microbiology , Dog Diseases/epidemiology , Dog Diseases/microbiology , Animals , Antibodies, Bacterial/blood , Cats , Cluster Analysis , DNA, Bacterial/blood , DNA, Bacterial/chemistry , DNA, Bacterial/genetics , DNA, Ribosomal/chemistry , DNA, Ribosomal/genetics , Dogs , Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect , Humans , Immunoglobulin G/blood , Immunoglobulin M/blood , Italy/epidemiology , Phylogeny , Polymerase Chain Reaction , RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics , Sequence Analysis, DNASubject(s)
Angiomatosis, Bacillary/veterinary , Bartonella henselae , Cat Diseases/epidemiology , Dog Diseases/epidemiology , Angiomatosis, Bacillary/epidemiology , Animals , Carrier State , Cat Diseases/blood , Cats , Dog Diseases/blood , Dogs , Female , Italy/epidemiology , Male , Seroepidemiologic StudiesABSTRACT
In this case report, an atypical clinical presentation of leishmaniosis in a dog with multiple nodular lesions of the tongue is described. Haematological and biochemical analysis, serological test for Leishmania infantum antibodies and biopsy samples from several nodules of the tongue for histopathological examination were made. The final diagnosis of leishmaniosis was based upon the observation of amastigotes in the bioptic samples. It is recommended to consider leishmaniosis among the list of differentials of mucosal nodular lesions, at least in endemic areas.
