[Feline leishmaniasis: what’s the epidemiological role of the cat?].
Abstract: Feline leishmaniasis (FL) is a quite uncommon feature. Clinical disease has been described in cats since nineties begin. More than 40 reports in world literature have been referred, but the clinical cases have been only recently well defined. Most of the reports focus on infected cats living in endemic areas, even if, more recently FL due to Leishmania infantum was found in Sao Paulo State, in Brazil where autochthonous human or canine leishmaniasis cases have never reported. In Europe clinical cases of FL have been described from Portugal, France, Spain and Italy from 1996 to 2002. When a typing of the etiological agent was performed L. infantum was identified in all reported cases. In some endemic areas serological surveys have also been carried out in cats, using IHAT in Egypt, Western blot in France or IFAT in Italy. Sixty Egyptian cats had low serological antibody titers, from 1/32 to 1/128, in the endemic focus of canine leishmaniasis of Alpes Maritimes 12 out of 97 (12.5%) cats showed antibodies versus antigens 14 and/or 18 kDa of L. infantum. A previous survey by means of IFAT in Liguria and Toscana on 110 and 158 feline sera respectively reports a seroprevalence of 0.9% with low titer, while sera from Sicily seem to be positive at higher dilutions. Animals living in an endemic area can develop specific antibodies against leishmania and, in our experience, they can be evidentiated by means of IFAT. The antibody titers appear to be lower in affected cats than in dogs, even if the number of clinical cases is very scanty. PCR tests on feline blood samples are in progress, but preliminary results confirm the presence of leishmania DNA in such specimens. Cutaneous leishmaniasis is the more frequent form in cats and it was reported from several countries. Typical signs include nodular to ulcer or crusty lesions on the nose, lips, ears, eyelids, alopecia: clinical signs of cutaneous FL are unspecific and in endemic area this infection must be taken into account. Visceral leishmaniasis is not common in cats: this form shows visceral involvement: liver and spleen are interested, with lymph nodes and kidney. The cat probably has to considerate to play an active role in the disease, in contrast to goats, calves and horses who could act as accidental reservoirs of leishmania, while sheep appears to be not susceptible to experimental infection. In endemic foci for kala-azar in Sudan cows, goats and donkeys had a high prevalence of specific antibodies. Recently in Europe sporadic cases of equine leishmaniasis have been reported: L. infantum was the causative agent. Equine leishmaniasis appears as a self-healing skin-dwelling disease, with a massive accumulation of parasites. The animals do not often show detectable specific antibodies and recover without any chemotherapy. Untreated affected cats can frequently die and we also observed lymph nodes and blood involvement indicating a spread of leishmania in feline hosts. The epidemiological role of the cat has never been clarified due also to lack of xenodiagnosis trials. This species is believed to have a high degree of natural resistance, as observed following experimental infection. Some of the affected cats were FIV and/or FeLV positive and these viroses such as stress may induce an impaired cellular immune response, even if leishmania infected cat was not submitted to CD4+, CD8+ lymphocyte counts nor other immunological test. However the resistance of the cat to leishmania infection probably depends on genetic factors, not strictly related to cell mediated immunity, taking into account the high seroprevalence of FIV infections (30%) in our country versus the number of clinical cases.
Publication Date: 2004-08-13 PubMed ID: 15305717
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Summary
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The research article discusses the epidemiological role of cats in Feline Leishmaniasis (FL), a rare disease caused by a parasite found in multiple countries. It also explores related findings about the disease’s appearance in cats, their immune responses, and discusses the likelihood of cats being a potential reservoir species for the parasite.
Uncommon Nature and Global Reports of Feline Leishmaniasis
- The research emphasizes the contested role cats play in the spread of Leishmaniasis— a disease that affects several animal species and humans. It’s particularly focused on Feline leishmaniasis (FL), asserting it as a somewhat rare condition.
- The study references over 40 global cases, mostly involving cats residing in endemic regions such as Europe and Brazil. Although it notes the disease had never been reported in humans or dogs in Brazil until recently.
Role of Cats Within Leishmaniasis Endemic Areas
- In certain endemic regions, serological surveys were carried out using various techniques like IHAT, Western blot, and IFAT, uncovering the presence of antibodies against the leishmania infection in cats.
- The antibody levels detected in cats were generally lower compared to dogs. The researchers mentioned the ongoing examination of feline blood samples through PCR tests to confirm the presence leishmania infection.
Clinical Manifestations of Feline Leishmaniasis
- Typically, the most common form of leishmaniasis in cats is the cutaneous form, characterized by lesions on the nose, lips, ears, and eyelids, as well as hair loss.
- Visceral leishmaniasis, which affects internal organs, is less common in cats but does occur. When present, it involves the liver, spleen, lymph nodes, and kidneys.
Cats as Potential Leishmaniasis Reservoirs
- The study indicates that cats might play a significant role in the disease’s epidemiology, in contrast with other animals like sheep, horses, and calves, that are seen more as accidental reservoirs.
- The article also discusses the possibility of natural resistance of cats to leishmaniasis, being influenced by genetic factors and not strictly related to cell-mediated immunity. It also mentions a potential link between Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) or Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) and an impaired immune response towards Leishmaniasis.
- However, the researchers recognize the need for more studies in this area, particularly xenodiagnosis trials, to fully comprehend the role of cats in the transmission and spreading of this disease.
Cite This Article
APA
Mancianti F.
(2004).
[Feline leishmaniasis: what’s the epidemiological role of the cat?].
Parassitologia, 46(1-2), 203-206.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Dipartimento di Patologia Animale, Profilassi ed Igiene degli Alimenti, Università di Pisa.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Cat Diseases / epidemiology
- Cat Diseases / parasitology
- Cat Diseases / transmission
- Cats / parasitology
- Comorbidity
- Disease Reservoirs
- Disease Transmission, Infectious
- Dog Diseases / epidemiology
- Dog Diseases / parasitology
- Dog Diseases / transmission
- Dogs / parasitology
- Global Health
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / parasitology
- Horse Diseases / transmission
- Horses / parasitology
- Humans
- Immunity, Innate
- Immunocompromised Host
- Leishmaniasis / epidemiology
- Leishmaniasis / parasitology
- Leishmaniasis / transmission
- Leishmaniasis / veterinary
- Ruminants / parasitology
- Seroepidemiologic Studies
- Zoonoses
Citations
This article has been cited 14 times.- Aguiar DCF, Nascimento DNDS, Penner DF, de Castro BDSL, Virgolino RR, Neves AMP, Siqueira ADS, Gonçalves EC. First molecular detection of Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum chagasi in a domestic cat (Felis catus) from an urban area in eastern Amazon. J Venom Anim Toxins Incl Trop Dis 2023;29:e20220048.
- Elmahallawy EK, Zanet S, Poggi M, Alsharif KF, Agil A, Trisciuoglio A, Ferroglio E. Feline Leishmaniosis in Northwestern Italy: Current Status and Zoonotic Implications. Vet Sci 2021 Oct 2;8(10).
- Abramo F, Albanese F, Gattuso S, Randone A, Fileccia I, Dedola C, Ibba F, Ottaiano P, Brianti E. Skin Lesions in Feline Leishmaniosis: A Systematic Review. Pathogens 2021 Apr 13;10(4).
- Morganti G, Veronesi F, Stefanetti V, Di Muccio T, Fiorentino E, Diaferia M, Santoro A, Passamonti F, Gramiccia M. Emerging feline vector-borne pathogens in Italy. Parasit Vectors 2019 May 2;12(1):193.
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- Ferreira Ede C, Cruz I, Cañavate C, de Melo LA, Pereira AA, Madeira FA, Valério SA, Cunha HM, Paglia AP, Gontijo CM. Mixed infection of Leishmania infantum and Leishmania braziliensis in rodents from endemic urban area of the New World. BMC Vet Res 2015 Mar 20;11:71.
- Chatzis MK, Leontides L, Athanasiou LV, Papadopoulos E, Kasabalis D, Mylonakis M, Rallis T, Koutinas AF, Andreadou M, Ikonomopoulos J, Saridomichelakis MN. Evaluation of indirect immunofluorescence antibody test and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the diagnosis of infection by Leishmania infantum in clinically normal and sick cats. Exp Parasitol 2014 Dec;147:54-9.
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- Dahroug MA, Almeida AB, Sousa VR, Dutra V, Guimarães LD, Soares CE, Nakazato L, de Souza RL. The first case report of Leishmania (leishmania) chagasi in Panthera leo in Brazil. Asian Pac J Trop Biomed 2011 Jun;1(3):249-50.
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- Foglia Manzillo V, Balestrino I, Oliva G, Brunetti R, Cavallo S, D'Ambrosio R, Pellicanò R, Spadari L, Barca L, Bruno F, Montella MO, Maurelli MP, Florindo N, Gizzarelli M, De Santi M, Baldi L. High Seroprevalence of Feline Leishmaniosis (FeL) in Campania (Italy) Region: Current Epidemiological Scenario. Pathogens 2025 Nov 23;14(12).
- Yazicioglu T, Cetinkaya H. Prevalence and Sequence Analysis of Vector-Borne Zoonotic Diseases in Stray Cats in Istanbul. Vet Med Sci 2025 Sep;11(5):e70552.
- Tsakmakidis I, Lefkaditis M, Zaralis K, Arsenos G. Alternative hosts of Leishmania infantum: a neglected parasite in Europe. Trop Anim Health Prod 2024 Apr 17;56(4):128.
- Diakou A, Papadopoulos E, Lazarides K. Specific anti-Leishmania spp. antibodies in stray cats in Greece. J Feline Med Surg 2009 Aug;11(8):728-30.
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