Arthropod-Borne Pathogens in Stray Cats from Northern Italy: A Serological and Molecular Survey.

ABSTRACT: Cats may be affected by a wide range of arthropod-borne pathogens (ABPs) of medical and veterinary interest. Between February 2018 and October 2019, 85 blood samples were collected from stray cats from the Emilia Romagna region (northern Italy). Ticks (n = 28) on the examined cats were also collected. Serological and molecular methods were applied to search for infection by Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Bartonella henselae, Coxiella burnetii, Ehrlichia canis, Leishmania spp., Babesia spp., Hepatozoon spp., and Cytauxzoon spp. A total of 71 sera (83.5%) had antibodies to at least one investigated pathogen: 39 (45.9%) were positive for B. henselae, 32 (37.6%) positive for C. burnetii, 12 (14.1%) positive for E. canis, four (4.7%) positive for A. phagocytophilum, and two (2.4%) positive for Leis

SUBMITTER: Ebani VV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7764348 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature