Cytauxzoonosis is a fatal tick-borne disease in domestic cats caused by infection with the apicomplexan Cytauxzoon felis. Bobcats are the natural wild-vertebrate reservoirs for C. felis, and infections are typically subclinical and chronic in this species. The present study was done to determine the prevalence and geographic distribution of C. felis infection in wild bobcats from Oklahoma and the occurrence in northwestern Texas. Tongue samples from 360 bobcats were collected from 53 counties in Oklahoma and 13 samples from three counties in Texas. For DNA extracted from each tongue sample, a probe-based droplet digital PCR assay was performed targeting the C. felis mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit III (cox3). Prevalence of C. felis infection was calculated for each county sampled, and data from individual counties were combined according to geographic regions and compared using chi-square tests. Overall prevalence of C. felis in bobcats from Oklahoma was 80.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 75.6-83.8). The prevalence of infection was >90% for bobcats from central, northeastern, south-central, and southeastern regions of Oklahoma, but <68% for bobcats from northwestern and southwestern regions. Bobcats from central counties in Oklahoma were 25.693 times more likely to be infected with C. felis compared to all other bobcats sampled from the state. Higher prevalence estimates of C. felis in bobcats appeared to be in counties where known tick vectors are most common. Occurrence of C. felis in bobcats from northwestern Texas was 30.8% (95% CI, 12.4%-58.0%) based on 13 samples. Results of this study support the utilization of bobcats as sentinel animals to identify geographic areas with risk of C. felis infection to domestic cats.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.7589/JWD-D-22-00152 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
We conducted a survey for domestic cat hepadnavirus, an analog of human hepatitis B virus, in the endangered felid species Iberian lynx. Results revealed specific antibodies in 32.3% of serum samples and DNA in 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDifferent coexistence patterns between apex carnivores and mesocarnivores based on temporal, spatial, and dietary niche partitioning analysis in Qilian Mountain National Park, China.
Elife
September 2024
Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Conservation, State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing, China.
Article Synopsis
- Carnivores are essential for ecosystem balance, and the study investigates how apex and mesocarnivores coexist in Qilian Mountain National Park, China, focusing on how they share resources.
- Researchers found significant overlaps in time and dietary patterns between different carnivore species, suggesting potential competition for food resources, especially between specific pairs like the wolf and snow leopard.
- The study concluded that spatial partitioning helps apex carnivores coexist, while both spatial and temporal partitioning support mesocarnivore coexistence, highlighting important strategies for conservation in vulnerable alpine ecosystems.
TRICHINELLA AND AT LEAST THREE SPECIES OF SARCOCYSTIS PARASITIZE THE MUSCLES OF BOBCATS (LYNX RUFUS) FROM MISSISSIPPI.
J Parasitol
July 2024
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Building 1001, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350.
Muscles of 25 bobcats (Lynx rufus) from remote areas of Mississippi in 2017 were tested for parasites. Testing for Sarcocystis infections included microscopic examination of fresh unstained muscle squashes, pepsin digestion of hearts and tongues, and histological sections of paraffin-embedded tissues. Sarcocystis spp.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe Establishment of a Novel In Vitro System for Culturing .
Pathogens
July 2024
Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.
Cytauxzoonosis, a highly fatal tick-borne disease in domestic cats caused by , poses diagnostic and therapeutic challenges due to the inability to culture the parasite in vitro. This study aimed to artificially replicate infection and characterize in vitro replication kinetics. Concanavalin A-activated feline embryonal macrophages (Fcwf-4) were plated at 3-5 × 10 cells/mL and incubated with -positive blood samples from either a (1) chronically infected bobcat (), (2) chronically infected domestic cat, or (3) acutely infected domestic cat with clinical signs of cytauxzoonosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFirst identification of Cytauxzoon manul in Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) in northwestern China.
Parasit Vectors
June 2024
Key Laboratory for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases and Public Health Security of the XPCC, School of Medicine, Shihezi University, Shihezi, 832002, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China.
Article Synopsis
- This study aimed to identify species of Cytauxzoon and Hepatozoon parasites in Eurasian lynxes and their ticks in northwestern China using molecular methods.
- DNA from various organ samples of three lynxes and their ticks was analyzed with PCR to detect these parasites.
- The study found that one lynx was co-infected with Cytauxzoon manul and Hepatozoon felis genotype I, marking the first report of these parasites in Eurasian lynxes in the region and enhancing understanding of their geographic distribution.
Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!