title: 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.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130118, People's Republic of China.|State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, 730046, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cong
authors.affiliation: Jilin Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130118, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qing-Feng
authors.initials: QF
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: Unité d'Epidémiologie, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, ANSES, Maisons-Alfort, France.
authors.forename: Radu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Blaga
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Parasitologie, EA3800, IFR53, CHU Reims, Centre National de Référence (CNR) Toxoplasmose/Toxoplasma Biological Resource Center (BRC), Reims, USC Epitoxo, Anses Lerpaz, France.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Villena
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, 730046, People's Republic of China. xingquanzhu1@hotmail.com.|Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for the Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, 225009, People's Republic of China. xingquanzhu1@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Xing-Quan
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130118, People's Republic of China. qianaidong0115@163.com.
authors.forename: Ai-Dong
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Qian
mesh_terms: D000372:Agglutination Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000821:virology; D002415:Cats; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D060085:Coinfection; D004183:Dirofilaria immitis / Q000276:immunology; D004184:Dirofilariasis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016181:Feline Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016089:Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline / Q000276:immunology*; D005256:Leukemia Virus, Feline / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan
keywords: Cats; Dirofilaria immitis; Feline immunodeficiency virus; Feline leukemia virus; Northwest China; Toxoplasma gondii