Toxoplasma gondii, Dirofilaria immitis, feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), and feline leukemia virus (FeLV) infections in stray and pet cats (Felis catus) in northwest China: co-infections and risk factors

• DOI: 10.1007/s00436-015-4738-y
• Publication Date: 2015-09-12T00:15:50Z
• Authors: Wei Cong; Qing-Feng Meng; Radu Blaga; Isabelle Villena; Xing-Quan Zhu; Ai-Dong Qian
• Keywords: Male; China; Genotype; Dirofilaria immitis; Antibodies, Protozoan; Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline; Cat Diseases; Polymerase Chain Reaction; 0403 veterinary science; environment/Health; [SDV.MHEP.MI]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Human health and pathology/Infectious diseases; Risk Factors; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Agglutination Tests; Feline Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; 616; Animals; [SDV.EE.SANT]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology, environment/Health; Coinfection; Leukemia Virus, Feline; 04 agricultural and veterinary sciences; 3. Good health; [SDV.MP]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Microbiology and Parasitology; [SDV.EE.SANT]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology; Cats; Female; Dirofilariasis; Toxoplasma; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length

This study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii, Dirofilaria immitis, feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), and feline leukemia virus (FeLV) infections among stray and pet cats in Lanzhou, northwest China, and to identify the influence of age, gender, and regions on seropositivity. T. gondii antibodies were examined in cat sera by the modified agglutination test (MAT). The circulating antigens of D. immitis and FeLV and specific antibodies to FIV were examined using kits commercially available. The overall prevalence of T. gondii, FIV, FeLV, and D. immitis was 19.34, 9.12, 11.33, and 3.04 %, respectively. For the genetic characterization of T. gondii genotypes in cats, genomic DNA was extracted from the seropositive cats and the T. gondii B1 gene was amplified using a semi-nested PCR. DNA samples giving positive B1 amplification were then genotyped using multilocus PCR-RFLP. Two T. gondii genotypes (ToxoDB#9 and ToxoDB#1) were identified. Results of the multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that older cats are more likely to be seropositive than juveniles for T. gondii, FIV, FeLV, and D. immitis. This is the first report of T. gondii genotypes in cats in northwest China. Moreover, the present study is the first study of retrovirus and D. immitis seroprevalence in cats in China. The results revealed that T. gondii, FIV, and FeLV infections are common in stray and pet cats in northwest China.