title: Feline visceral leishmaniasis in Kerman, southeast of Iran: Serological and molecular study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a fatal zoonotic disease in tropical and sub-tropical countries including Iran. Dogs constitute the main domestic reservoir for VL (kala-azar) in Iran but incidence of the disease in cats from Fars and East Azerbaijan provinces has led to propose them as secondary reservoirs, and possible expansion of the feline role in the transmission of disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of Leishmania infantum infection in stray cats in Kerman City by ELISA and PCR methods.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional descriptive study, 60 stray cats were randomly live trapped from different parts of Kerman City during a six month period between March and September 2014. About 3 ml blood samples were drawn from jugular vein of captured cats and a detailed questionnaire about demographic characteristics and clini- cal status of each cat was recorded by attending veterinarian. The complete blood counts and biochemistry analysis were performed for all cats. Finally collected sera samples were tested by an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit and PCR amplification method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence of Leishmania infantum infection was 6.7 and 16.7% by ELISA and PCR assays, respectively. Infection rate was significantly higher in leukopenic cats, which were older than 3 yr.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the study indicate that stray cats are at risk of L. infantum infection in Kerman City. Further, studies are required to elucidate the role of cats as potential reservoir host in the epidemiol- ogy of VL in endemic regions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman; Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Baharak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Akhtardanesh
authors.affiliation: Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Iraj
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sharifi
authors.affiliation: Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman; Research Center for Hydatid Disease in Iran, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mohammadi
authors.affiliation: Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahshid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mostafavi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Mojdeh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hakimmipour
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Neda Ghasemi
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Pourafshar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002415:Cats; D002947:Cities / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D018314:Leishmania infantum / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D016054:DNA, Protozoan