Dataset Information

Leptospira spp. Prevalence in Cats from Southern Italy with Evaluation of Risk Factors for Exposure and Clinical Findings in Infected Cats.

ABSTRACT: Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonotic disease, but feline leptospirosis is rarely reported. This study aimed at investigating Leptospira spp. prevalence in cats from southern Italy, evaluating risk factors, clinical findings and laboratory data associated with infection. The serum of 112 cats was investigated by microscopic agglutination test (MAT), detecting anti-Leptospira antibodies against 14 pathogenic serovars. Blood and urine samples were tested by a real-time polymerase chain reaction targeting the lipL32 gene of pathogenic Leptospira. Antibodies against serovars Poi, Bratislava, Arborea, Ballum, Pomona and Lora were detected in 15.3% (17/111) of cats (titers range: 20-320). Leptospira spp. DNA was found in 3% (4/109) of blood and 9% (10/111) of urine samples. The spring season was the only risk factor for urinary Leptospira DNA shedding. Laboratory abnormalities significantly associated and/or correlated with Leptospira spp. positivity were anemia, monocytosis, neutrophilia, eosinopenia, increased alanine aminotransferase activity, hypoalbuminemia and hyperglobulinemia. In the investigated areas, cats are frequently infected by Leptospira spp. and can represent an additional reservoir or sentinel for a risk of infection. Moreover, some laboratory changes could be compatible with a pathogenic effect of Leptospira spp. in the feline host.

SUBMITTER: Donato G

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9609655 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Leptospira spp. Prevalence in Cats from Southern Italy with Evaluation of Risk Factors for Exposure and Clinical Findings in Infected Cats.

Donato Giulia G Masucci Marisa M Hartmann Katrin K Goris Marga G A MGA Ahmed Ahmed A AA Archer Joy J Alibrandi Angela A Pennisi Maria Grazia MG

Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) 20220930 10

Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonotic disease, but feline leptospirosis is rarely reported. This study aimed at investigating Leptospira spp. prevalence in cats from southern Italy, evaluating risk factors, clinical findings and laboratory data associated with infection. The serum of 112 cats was investigated by microscopic agglutination test (MAT), detecting anti-Leptospira antibodies against 14 pathogenic serovars. Blood and urine samples were tested by a real-time polymerase cha ...[more]

PMID: 36297186

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Project description:Leptospirosis is one of the most widespread zoonotic diseases and can infect both humans and animals worldwide. Healthy cat, as a potential source of exposure to humans, are likely underestimated owing to the lack of overt clinical signs associated with Leptospira spp. infection in this species. The aim of the study was to determine the exposure, shedding, and carrier status of leptospires in shelter cats in Malaysia by using serological, molecular, and bacteriological methods. For this study, 82 healthy cats from two shelters were sampled. The blood, urine, and kidneys were tested using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT), polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and bacterial culture. On the basis of serological, molecular, and/or culture techniques, the total detection of leptospiral infection was 29.3% (n = 24/82). Through culture techniques, 16.7% (n = 4/24) of the cats that tested positive were carriers with positive kidney cultures, and one cat was culture positive for both urine and kidney. The Leptospira spp. isolates were identified as pathogenic L. interrogans serovar Bataviae through serological and molecular methods. Through serological techniques, 87.5% (n = 21/24) had positive antibody titers (100-1600) and most of the Bataviae serogroup (n = 19/21). Using PCR, 16.7% (n = 4/24) of cats were shown to have pathogenic Leptospira spp. DNA in their urine. Furthermore, three out of four culture positive cats were serology negative. The present study reports the first retrieval of pathogenic leptospires from urine and kidneys obtained from naturally infected cats. The results provide evidence of the potential role of naturally infected cats in the transmission of leptospires. Additionally, leptospiral infection occurs sub-clinically in cats. The culture isolation provides evidence that healthy cats could be reservoirs of leptospiral infection, and this information may promote the development of disease prevention strategies for the cat population.

Project description:Shedding of DNA of pathogenic Leptospira spp. has been documented in naturally infected cats in several countries, but urinary shedding of infectious Leptospira spp. has only recently been proven. The climate in Southern Chile is temperate rainy with high annual precipitations which represents ideal preconditions for survival of Leptospira spp., especially during spring and summer. The aims of this study were to investigate shedding of pathogenic Leptospira spp. in outdoor cats in Southern Chile, to perform molecular characterization of isolates growing in culture, and to assess potential risk factors associated with shedding. Urine samples of 231 outdoor cats from rural and urban areas in southern Chile were collected. Urine samples were investigated for pathogenic Leptospira spp. by 4 techniques: qPCR targeting the lipL32 gene, immunomagnetic separation (IMS)-coupled qPCR (IMS-qPCR), direct culture and IMS-coupled culture. Positive urine cultures were additionally confirmed by PCR. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was used to molecularly characterize isolates obtained from positive cultures. Overall, 36 urine samples (15.6%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 11.4-20.9) showed positive results. Eighteen (7.8%, 95% CI 4.9-12.1), 30 (13%, 95% CI 9.2-18), 3 (1.3%, 0.3-3.9) and 4 cats (1.7%; 95% CI 0.5-4.5) were positive in qPCR, IMS-qPCR, conventional culture, and IMS-coupled culture, respectively. MLST results of 7 culture-positive cats revealed sequences that could be assigned to sequence type 17 (6 cats) and sequence type 27 (1 cat) corresponding to L. interrogans (Pathogenic Leptospira Subgroup 1). Shedding of pathogenic Leptospira spp. by cats might be an underestimated source of infection for other species including humans. The present study is the first one reporting growth of leptospires from feline urine in culture in naturally infected cats in South-America and characterisation of culture-derived isolates. So far, very few cases of successful attempts to culture leptospires from naturally infected cats are described worldwide.

Project description:Leptospirosis is a bacterial zoonotic disease of major One Health significance and public health impact globally, with a wide host range including mammals, cetaceans and herpetofauna. This study aimed to determine Leptospira seroprevalence, risk factors for seroreactivity and prevalence of urinary Leptospira shedding among domestic cats in Hong Kong. Microagglutination testing of 22 Leptospira serovars from 20 serogroups was performed on 738 sera from outdoor free-roaming "community" cats (n = 391) and privately-owned (n = 347) cats. Urine from 268 community cats was tested for pathogenic Leptospira DNA by qPCR targeting lipL32. Potential risk factors associated with exposure were assessed using logistic regression. Overall Leptospira seroprevalence was 9.35%. Of 14 serogroups detected, Javanica (4.3%), Djasiman (2.3%) and Australis (1.5%) were most common. Seroreactivity was significantly higher among community (13.3%) than privately-owned cats (4.9%; OR 2.98 [95% CI 1.68-5.25], P < 0.001), especially to Javanica (7.65% of community cats versus 0.58% of privately-owned cats (P < 0.001). Antibody titres to all serogroups ranged from 1:100 to 1:6400 (median 1:200) and were highest for Javanica (median 1:800). Leptospira DNA was detected in urine from 12/268 community cats (4.48%; median load 6.42 × 102 copies/mL urine; range 1.40 × 101-9.63 × 104). One in three seroreactive community cats with paired urine and blood samples had leptospiruria. After adjusting for source, none of breed, sex, neuter status, age, district rodent infestation rate, serum alanine transaminase or creatinine values were associated with seroreactivity. Cats in Hong Kong are exposed to a diversity of Leptospira serogroups and can shed Leptospira silently in urine. The higher seroprevalence among outdoor free-roaming community cats highlights the importance of environmental drivers in leptospirosis transmission and risks of exposure for sympatric human populations. Gloves should be worn when handling feline urine to minimise the risk of zoonotic transmission from subclinically infected cats.

Dataset Information

Leptospira spp. Prevalence in Cats from Southern Italy with Evaluation of Risk Factors for Exposure and Clinical Findings in Infected Cats.

Publications

<i>Leptospira</i> spp. Prevalence in Cats from Southern Italy with Evaluation of Risk Factors for Exposure and Clinical Findings in Infected Cats.

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