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Nascimento LFDJ, Amado-Gomes AC, Dantas-Torres F, Santos FLN, Neres WDS, Filho PEDS, Santos MT, Silva JRS, Resende CF, Dos Reis JKP, Jain S, Cunha JLR, Fujiwara RT, Dolabella SS. Feline leishmaniasis in an animal shelter in northeastern Brazil: Clinical aspects, coinfections, molecular detection, and serological study of a new recombinant protein. Res Vet Sci 2024; 172:105256. [PMID: 38613921 DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2024.105256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024]
Abstract
Infection and clinical cases of leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania infantum in cats have been increasingly reported in several countries, including Brazil. In this study, we used an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and an immunochromatographic test (ICT) based on a recombinant antigen (rKDDR-plus) to detect anti-Leishmania antibodies in cats from an animal shelter in northeastern Brazil. We compared the results with an ELISA using L. infantum crude antigen (ELISA-CA). We also investigated the presence of Leishmania DNA in blood or ocular conjunctival samples as well as the association between Leishmania PCR positivity and serological positivity to feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and Toxoplasma gondii. Concerning serological assays, a higher positivity was detected using the ICT-rKDDR-plus (7.5%; 7/93) as compared to ELISA-rKDDR-plus (5.4%; 5/93) and ELISA-CA (4.3%; 4/93). Upon PCR testing, 52.7% (49/93) of the ocular conjunctival swabs and 48.3% (44/91) of the blood samples were positive. Together, PCR and serological testing revealed overall positivities of 73.1% (68/93) and 12.9% (12/93), respectively. Among PCR-positive samples, 45.5% (31/68) showed co-infection with FIV, 17.6% (12/68) with FeLV, and 82.3% (56/68) with T. gondii. More than half of the PCR-positive cats showed at least one clinical sign suggestive of leishmaniasis (58.8%; 40/68) and dermatological signs were the most frequent ones (45.5%; 31/68). Both tests employing the recombinant antigen rKDDR-plus (i.e., ICT-rKDDR-plus and ELISA-rKDDR-plus) detected more positive cats than the ELISA-CA but presented low overall accuracy. PCR testing using either blood or ocular conjunctival samples detected much more positive cats than serological tests.
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MESH Headings
- Cats
- Animals
- Cat Diseases/diagnosis
- Cat Diseases/parasitology
- Cat Diseases/virology
- Cat Diseases/blood
- Cat Diseases/epidemiology
- Brazil/epidemiology
- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay/veterinary
- Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline/isolation & purification
- Coinfection/veterinary
- Coinfection/parasitology
- Coinfection/epidemiology
- Coinfection/virology
- Leishmania infantum/isolation & purification
- Leukemia Virus, Feline/genetics
- Leukemia Virus, Feline/immunology
- Recombinant Proteins
- Male
- Female
- Toxoplasma
- Antibodies, Protozoan/blood
- Leishmaniasis, Visceral/veterinary
- Leishmaniasis, Visceral/diagnosis
- Leishmaniasis, Visceral/epidemiology
- Leishmaniasis, Visceral/blood
- Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary
- Toxoplasmosis, Animal/diagnosis
- Toxoplasmosis, Animal/epidemiology
- Toxoplasmosis, Animal/blood
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Fred Luciano Neves Santos
- Integrated Translational Program in Chagas Disease from Fiocruz (Fio-Chagas), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz-RJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Advanced Public Health Laboratory, Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Wemerson de Santana Neres
- Graduate Program in Physiological Sciences, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, SE, Brazil
| | | | - Mariana Tibúrcio Santos
- Graduate Program in Parasite Biology, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, SE, Brazil
| | | | - Cláudia Fideles Resende
- Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Veterinary School, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | | | - Sona Jain
- Graduate Program in Parasite Biology, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, SE, Brazil; Graduate Program in Industrial Biotechnology, Tiradentes University, SE, Brazil
| | - João Luís Reis Cunha
- York Biomedical Research Institute and Department of Biology, University of York, York, United Kingdom
| | - Ricardo Toshio Fujiwara
- Graduate Program in Parasite Biology, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, SE, Brazil; Department of Parasitology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
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