Seroprevalence of feline immunodeficiency virus, feline leukaemia virus and Toxoplasma gondii in stray cat colonies in northern Italy and correlation with clinical and laboratory data.
Stray cat colonies in urban and rural areas of Lombardy, northern Italy, were surveyed for seroprevalence of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) antibodies, feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) antigen and Toxoplasma gondii IgG. Of 316 cats tested, 6.6% were positive for FIV and 3.8% were positive for FeLV infection; 203 cats were tested for T gondii IgG antibodies and a prevalence of 30.5% was detected. Statistical analysis tested the influence of provenience, age, gender, health status and laboratory results on seroprevalence and found male gender and adult age were risk factors for FIV infection. FIV-infected cats were more likely to have a decreased red blood cell count than FIV seronegative cats. No predictors were significantly associated with FeLV and T gondii seropositivity. Colony cats in this study posed a limited risk for retrovirus infection to pet cats allowed outdoors, whereas toxoplasmosis exposure was comparable with the worldwide data.
Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Milan, Italy. eva.spada@unimi.it
Eva
E
Spada
Daniela
D
Proverbio
Alessandra
A
della Pepa
Roberta
R
Perego
Luciana
L
Baggiani
Giada Bagnagatti
GB
DeGiorgi
Giulia
G
Domenichini
Elisabetta
E
Ferro
Fausto
F
Cremonesi
D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000097:blood / Q000469:parasitology / Q000821:virology; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000821:virology; D002415:Cats; D005260:Female; D016089:Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D016180:Lentivirus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology; D005256:Leukemia Virus, Feline / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008297:Male; D012192:Retroviridae Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology