Clinical, diagnostic and epidemiological implications of Hepatozoon spp., Babesia spp. and Leishmania infantum infection in cats and dogs in a Mediterranean periurban setting.

ABSTRACT: Hepatozoon spp., Babesia spp. and Leishmania infantum are common parasites of dogs in Mediterranean countries and are less frequent in cats, particularly Babesia spp. and L. infantum. Moreover, there is limited information on coinfections between these parasites and on L. infantum's distribution in blood, skin and lymphoid tissue in cats. We used PCR and DNA sequencing to investigate the prevalence of these parasites and the aetiology of Hepatozoon spp. and Babesia spp., in blood, skin, spleen and lymph node samples from up to 212 stray cats and 82 abandoned dogs in southeast Spain. All except 2 dogs were healthy; instead, 112 cats had clinical signs. The estimated PCR prevalences (95% confidence interval) were 25% (19-31%) Hepatozoon felis in cats, 13% (6-21%) Hepatozoon canis in dogs, 1%

SUBMITTER: Ortuno M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9816188 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature