Prevalence of selected infectious disease agents in stray cats in Catalonia, Spain.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of the current study was to investigate the prevalence rates of the following infectious agents in 116 stray cats in the Barcelona area of Spain: species, species, feline calicivirus (FCV), feline herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1), feline leukaemia virus (FeLV), feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), haemoplasmas, species and species.

METHODS

Serum antibodies were used to estimate the prevalence of exposure to species, species and FIV; serum antigens were used to assess for infection by and FeLV; and molecular assays were used to amplify nucleic acids of species, species, species, FCV, FHV-1, haemoplasmas, species and species from blood and nasal or oral swabs.

RESULTS

Of the 116 cats, 63 (54.3%) had evidence of infection by species, FeLV, FIV or a haemoplasma. species, species or species DNA was not amplified from these cats. A total of 18/116 cats (15.5%) were positive for FCV RNA (six cats), species DNA (six cats), FHV-1 DNA (three cats) or DNA (three cats).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

This study documents that shelter cats in Catalonia are exposed to many infectious agents with clinical and zoonotic significance, and that flea control is indicated for cats in the region.