Detection of Leishmania major and Leishmania tropica in domestic cats in the Ege Region of Turkey.
Leishmaniosis is a group of diseases caused by different species of Leishmania parasites in mammalian species. The aim of the present study was to investigate the presence of Leishmania spp. DNA in cats using real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays targeting internal transcribed spacer (ITS1) and heat-shock protein 70 gene (Hsp70) regions with Leishmania species-specific primers and probes. Blood samples were collected from 147 cats (73 female; 74 male) in the endemic regions for zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis in the western provinces of Turkey and analyzed using two RT-PCR assays. Additionally, Hsp70 RT-PCR products were sequenced. ELISA assays for feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline leukemia virus (FeLV) were also carried out for 145 of the 147 samples. Overall, 13/147 (8.84%) cats were positive for Leishmania by RT-PCR (4 L. major and 9 L. tropica). FIV and FeLV antibody and/or antigen was detected in 4 and 5 cats among Leishmania DNA positives, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to investigate and report the presence of L. major and L. tropica infections in a large group of domestic cats in Turkey. The results obtained indicate that species identification of Leishmania is essential for epidemiological understanding and that clinical signs alone are not indicative for leishmaniosis in cats, as it is in dogs. This study suggests that extensive research should be carried out in cat populations in order to fully understand the role of cats in the epidemiology of the disease.
Adnan Menderes University, Veterinary Faculty, Department of Internal Medicine, Aydın, Turkey.
Serdar
S
Paşa
Ege University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biology, Bornova,İzmir, Turkey.
Aslı
A
Tetik Vardarlı
Adnan Menderes University, Veterinary Faculty, Department of Virology, Aydın, Turkey.
Nural
N
Erol
Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Parasitology, Bornova, İzmir, Turkey.
Mehmet
M
Karakuş
Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Parasitology, Bornova, İzmir, Turkey.
Seray
S
Töz
Adnan Menderes University, Veterinary Faculty, Department of Internal Medicine, Aydın, Turkey.
Abidin
A
Atasoy
Celal Bayar University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Parasitology, Manisa, Turkey.
İ Cüneyt
İC
Balcıoğlu
Adnan Menderes University, Veterinary Faculty, Department of Internal Medicine, Aydın, Turkey.
Gülten
G
Emek Tuna
Celal Bayar University Institute of Health Sciences, Manisa, Turkey.
Özge V
ÖV
Ermiş
Adnan Menderes University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Parasitology, Aydın, Turkey.
Hatice
H
Ertabaklar
Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Parasitology, Bornova, İzmir, Turkey. Electronic address: yusuf.ozbel@ege.edu.tr.
Yusuf
Y
Özbel
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000821:virology; D002415:Cats; D060085:Coinfection; D005260:Female; D016089:Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018320:Leishmania major; D007895:Leishmania tropica; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016180:Lentivirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D005256:Leukemia Virus, Feline / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008297:Male; D012192:Retroviridae Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral
Cat; Leishmania major; Leishmania tropica; Leishmaniosis; Turkey