| Autor: |
Bezerra JAB; Centro de Saúde e Tecnologia Rural, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG), Av. Universitária, s/n, Santa Cecília, Patos 58708-110, Brazil., Haisi A; Instituto de Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Alameda das Tecomarias, s/n, Chácara Capão Bonito, Botucatu 18607-440, Brazil., Rocha GDS; Departamento de Produção Animal e Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Rua Prof. Doutor Walter Mauricio Correa, s/n, Rubião Júnior, Botucatu 18618-681, Brazil., Lima SG; Departamento de Produção Animal e Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Rua Prof. Doutor Walter Mauricio Correa, s/n, Rubião Júnior, Botucatu 18618-681, Brazil., Brasil AWL; Departamento de Morfologia, Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB), Cidade Universitária, s/n, Campus I, Castelo Branco, João Pessoa 58051-900, Brazil., Tomaz KLR; Hospital Veterinário Jerônimo Dix-Huit Rosado Maia, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido (UFERSA), Av. Francisco Mota, 572, Costa e Silva, Mossoro 59625-900, Brazil., Fornazari F; Departamento de Produção Animal e Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Rua Prof. Doutor Walter Mauricio Correa, s/n, Rubião Júnior, Botucatu 18618-681, Brazil., Langoni H; Departamento de Produção Animal e Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Rua Prof. Doutor Walter Mauricio Correa, s/n, Rubião Júnior, Botucatu 18618-681, Brazil., Araújo Junior JP; Instituto de Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Alameda das Tecomarias, s/n, Chácara Capão Bonito, Botucatu 18607-440, Brazil., Antunes JMAP; Hospital Veterinário Jerônimo Dix-Huit Rosado Maia, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido (UFERSA), Av. Francisco Mota, 572, Costa e Silva, Mossoro 59625-900, Brazil., Azevedo SS; Centro de Saúde e Tecnologia Rural, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG), Av. Universitária, s/n, Santa Cecília, Patos 58708-110, Brazil. |
| Abstrakt: |
The aim of this study was to investigate the coinfection of feline retroviruses (feline immunodeficiency virus-FIV, and the feline leukemia virus-FeLV) with Leishmania infantum and Toxoplasma gondii and the factors associated with these pathogens in domestic cats from Mossoró, a city endemic for canine and human leishmaniasis situated in the semiarid region of Northeast Brazil. Blood samples from 120 cats were collected, and an epidemiological questionnaire was applied to investigate the risk factors associated with the infections. Retroviruses, L. infantum , and T. gondii infections were assessed using a point-of-care ELISA and quantitative PCR (qPCR), indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and qPCR, and IFAT, respectively. The overall seroprevalences observed were 35% (95% CI = 27.0-43.8%) for FIV, 0.8% (95% CI = 0.1-4.5%) for FeLV, 25.8% (95% CI = 18.8-34.3%) for T. gondii , and 4.2% (95% CI = 1.7-9.3%) for L. infantum . Coinfection with FIV and L. infantum was observed in 2.5% (3/120) of the assessed cats, while 12.5% (15/120) were coinfected with FIV and T. gondii . No significant association was found among the investigated agents ( p > 0.05). The factors associated with FIV infection in the multivariable analysis were male sex and age above 78 months. The findings of this study demonstrated a high rate of FIV infection in cats from the Brazilian semiarid region and the exposure of these animals to zoonotic and opportunistic agents. Due to the immunosuppressive potential of FIV, cats infected with this retrovirus should be screened for coinfections with L. infantum and T. gondii , and preventative measures should be adopted. |
