Serological survey of Encephalitozoon cuniculi infection in cats in Japan.
Antibodies to Encephalitozoon cuniculi (E. cuniculi) were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using E. cuniculi PTP2 recombinant protein from serum samples that had been collected from a total of 295 cats in Japan. Of these samples, 6.1% (18/295) had antibodies against E. cuniculi, which included 6.3% (6/96) of the male cats and 6.0% (12/199) of the female cats. The incidence was slightly higher in feral cats (8.3%, 11/132) compared to domesticated cats (4.3%, 7/163). This suggests the possibility that the cats of our country have become a reservoir of E. cuniculi. This study is the first to demonstrate the prevalence of E. cuniculi infection in cats in Japan.
Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Kitasato University, Towada, Aomori 034-8628, Japan.
Ryusuke
R
Tsukada
Yuki
Y
Osaka
Tomomi
T
Takano
Mizuki
M
Sasaki
Mitsuhiro
M
Inose
Hiromi
H
Ikadai
D000818:Animals; D000908:Antibodies, Fungal / Q000097:blood; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D002415:Cats; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000662:veterinary; D009670:Encephalitozoon cuniculi; D016890:Encephalitozoonosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
D000908:Antibodies, Fungal