title: Conjunctival swab PCR to detect Leishmania spp. in cats.
abstract: The relevance of the dog as a source of visceral leishmaniasis infection is known, but the role of cats as reservoir hosts for leishmaniasis is not yet fully clear. This study assessed the efficacy of conjunctival swab PCR (CS-PCR) in the detection of cats infected by Leishmania spp. The results were seven (13.5%) cats positive for Leishmania spp. in the PCR, in 52 cats tested from Pirassunuga-SP and Ilha Solteira-SP. From the city of Pirassununga - SP 28.6% (2/7) were positive and from the city of Ilha Solteira - SP 11.1% (5/45) were positive. The results showed that CS-PCR was capable of detecting cats infected by this protozoan. Conjunctival swab samples proved easier to perform in cats, which might facilitate studies on the frequency and distribution of feline leishmaniasis.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos, Universidade de São Paulo, Pirassununga, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Trícia Maria Ferreira de Sousa
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Epidemiologia Experimental Aplicada às Zoonoses, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vanessa Figueredo
authors.initials: VF
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Epidemiologia Experimental Aplicada às Zoonoses, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Graziella Ulbricht
authors.initials: GU
authors.lastname: Benvenga
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia e Zootecnia, Faculdade de Engenharia, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Ilha Solteira, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Fernanda Alves
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos, Universidade de São Paulo, Pirassununga, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Julia Cristina
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Benassi
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia e Zootecnia, Faculdade de Engenharia, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Ilha Solteira, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Diogo Tiago
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia e Zootecnia, Faculdade de Engenharia, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Ilha Solteira, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Wilma Aparecida
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Starke-Buzetti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology*; D002415:Cats; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000469:parasitology*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D007891:Leishmania / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan