Ebani Valentina Virginia, Guardone Lisa, Marra Federica, Altomonte Iolanda, Nardoni Simona, Mancianti Francesca
Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
Animals (Basel). 2020 Dec 8;10(12):2334. doi: 10.3390/ani10122334.
Cats may be affected by a wide range of arthropod-borne pathogens (ABPs) of medical and veterinary interest. Between February 2018 and October 2019, 85 blood samples were collected from stray cats from the Emilia Romagna region (northern Italy). Ticks ( = 28) on the examined cats were also collected. Serological and molecular methods were applied to search for infection by , , , , spp., spp., spp., and spp. A total of 71 sera (83.5%) had antibodies to at least one investigated pathogen: 39 (45.9%) were positive for , 32 (37.6%) positive for , 12 (14.1%) positive for , four (4.7%) positive for , and two (2.4%) positive for spp. A total of 47 (55.3%) DNA samples were positive by PCR for at least one investigated pathogen: 25 (29.4%) were positive for , 23 (27.1%) positive for , two (2.4%) positive for , five (5.9%) positive for spp., and two (2.4%) positive for spp. Coinfections were observed in 21 cats (24.7%). No positivity was found for , spp., or spp. All ticks were negative. A widespread presence of ABPs in the investigated area of northern Italy was shown. Accurate information on their prevalence may be relevant for feline veterinary medicine, as well as from a One Health perspective.
猫可能会受到多种具有医学和兽医学意义的节肢动物传播病原体（ABP）的影响。在2018年2月至2019年10月期间，从意大利北部艾米利亚 - 罗马涅地区的流浪猫身上采集了85份血液样本。还收集了受检猫身上的蜱虫（n = 28）。应用血清学和分子方法来检测是否感染巴尔通体属、无形体属、埃立克体属、新立克次氏体属、巴贝斯虫属、泰勒虫属、嗜吞噬细胞无形体和立克次氏体属。共有71份血清（83.5%）对至少一种调查的病原体呈抗体阳性：39份（45.9%）对巴尔通体属呈阳性，32份（37.6%）对无形体属呈阳性，12份（14.1%）对埃立克体属呈阳性，4份（4.7%）对新立克次氏体属呈阳性，2份（2.4%）对巴贝斯虫属呈阳性。共有47份（55.3%）DNA样本通过PCR检测对至少一种调查的病原体呈阳性：25份（29.4%）对巴尔通体属呈阳性，23份（27.1%）对无形体属呈阳性，2份（2.4%）对埃立克体属呈阳性，5份（5.9%）对泰勒虫属呈阳性，2份（2.4%）对嗜吞噬细胞无形体呈阳性。在21只猫（24.7%）中观察到了混合感染。未发现对新立克次氏体属、泰勒虫属或立克次氏体属呈阳性。所有蜱虫均为阴性。结果表明，意大利北部调查地区广泛存在ABP。关于它们的流行情况的准确信息可能对猫科兽医学以及从“同一健康”角度都具有重要意义。
