Leptospira Detection in Cats in Spain by Serology and Molecular Techniques

Andrea Murillo, Rafaela Cuenca, Emmanuel Serrano, Goris Marga, Ahmed Ahmed, Salvador Cervantes, Cristina Caparrós, Verónica Vieitez, Andrea Ladina and Josep Pastor
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Andrea Murillo: Department de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona (UAB), CP 08193 Bellaterra, Espana
Rafaela Cuenca: Department de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona (UAB), CP 08193 Bellaterra, Espana
Emmanuel Serrano: Wildlife Ecology & Health group (WE&H), Servei d’Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge (SEFaS), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), CP 08193 Bellaterra, Espana
Goris Marga: OIE and National Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Leptospirosis (NRL), Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Medical Microbiology, Meibergdreef 39, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Ahmed Ahmed: OIE and National Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Leptospirosis (NRL), Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Medical Microbiology, Meibergdreef 39, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Salvador Cervantes: Clínica Felina Barcelona, CP 08015 Barcelona, Espana
Cristina Caparrós: Clínica Felina Barcelona, CP 08015 Barcelona, Espana
Verónica Vieitez: Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Extremadura, CP 10003 Cáceres, Espana
Andrea Ladina: Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Extremadura, CP 10003 Cáceres, Espana
Josep Pastor: Department de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona (UAB), CP 08193 Bellaterra, Espana

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 5, 1-11

Abstract: Leptospirosis is the most neglected widespread zoonosis worldwide. In Spain, leptospirosis reports in people and animals have increased lately. Cats can become infected with Leptospira , as well as be chronic carriers. The aim of this study was to determine serological antibody prevalence against Leptospira sp., blood DNA, and shedding of DNA from pathogenic Leptospira species in the urine of cats in Spain. Microagglutination tests (MAT) and blood and urine TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were performed. Leptospira antibodies were detected in 10/244 cats; with 4.1% positive results (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.1–7.18%). Titers ranged from 1:20 to 1:320 (serovars Ballum; Bataviae; Bratislava; Cynopteri; Grippotyphosa Mandemakers; Grippotyphosa Moskva; Pomona; and Proechimys). The most common serovar was Cynopteri. Blood samples from 1/89 cats amplified for Leptospira DNA (1.12%; 95% CI: 0.05–5.41%). Urine samples from 4/232 cats amplified for Leptospira DNA (1.72%; 95% CI: 0.55–4.10%). In conclusion free-roaming cats in Spain can shed pathogenic Leptospira DNA in their urine and may be a source of human infection. Serovars not previously described in cats in Spain were detected; suggesting the presence of at least 4 different species of pathogenic leptospires in the country ( L. borgpetersenii ; L. interrogans ; L. kirschneri ; and L. noguchii ).

Keywords: antibodies; free-roaming cat; leptospirosis; PCR; shedding; serovar; zoonoses (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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