title: Survey of infectious and parasitic diseases in stray cats at the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, Portugal.
abstract: A survey of infectious and parasitic diseases of stray cats was carried out using biological samples collected from animals captured during a catch-neuter-release programme in four counties of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area. The main objective was to investigate the potential threat of stray cats for animal and public health. Samples of blood, stool, hair and auricular swabs were collected from 231 cats in 27 colonies. Anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies were detected in 47/194 samples (24.2%); anti-Leishmania infantum antibodies in 1/180 cats (0.6%); intestinal parasites in 23/74 samples (Toxocara cati, Isospora felis, Ancylostoma tubaeforme, Dipylidium caninum, Uncinaria stenocephala, Toxascaris leonina) and Otodectes cynotis in 4/182 cats (2.2%); dermatophyte fungi were isolated in 40/136 samples (29.4%); feline immunodeficiency virus antibodies were detected in 23/226 samples (10.2%); feline leukaemia virus antigen in 14/198 samples (7.1%); and feline coronavirus RNA in 9/127 samples (7.1%). Our results revealed that zoonotic agents, namely dermatophyte fungi and Toxocara cati were present in stray cat colonies in the investigated counties. Overall the low frequency of major pathogens suggests a balanced relationship between host and agents.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal (CIISA), Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, TULisbon, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal. anaduarte@fmv.utl.pt
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.forename: Isabel M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Pereira da Fonseca
authors.forename: Virgilio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Luis M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Madeira de Carvalho
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meireles
authors.forename: Maria I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Fazendeiro
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tavares
authors.forename: Yolanda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Vaz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002415:Cats; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D010273:Parasitic Diseases, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011174:Portugal / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies
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