Open AccessCats Surviving Natural Infection with Cytauxzoon felis : 18 Cases (1997–1998)
Author(s) -
Meinkoth James,
Kocan A. Alan,
Whitworth Lisa,
Murphy George,
Fox J. Carl,
Woods J. Paul
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of veterinary internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.356
H-Index - 103
eISSN - 1939-1676
pISSN - 0891-6640
DOI - 10.1111/j.1939-1676.2000.tb02270.x
Subject(s) - cats , felis , medicine , asymptomatic , polymerase chain reaction , virology , veterinary medicine , biology , pathology , biochemistry , gene
Eighteen cats surviving natural infection with Cytauxzoon felis were identified. All cats came from a limited geographic area in northwestern Arkansas and northeastern Oklahoma. Clinical signs in most cats were similar to those described for cytauxzoonosis; however, 4 cats were asymptomatic. All cases were initially diagnosed by microscopic identification of signet ring‐shaped piroplasms in erythrocytes of peripheral blood smears. Four of 4 cats tested had detectable serum antibodies to C felis . Four different cats were positive by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Partial sequencing of the PCR product from 1 cat revealed >99% homology with the reported sequence of C felis . Repeated examination of blood smears from 12 cats revealed that the erythroparasitemia was generally persistent for the duration of follow‐up (3–154 days). Survival did not seem dependent on treatment, as only 1 cat was treated with a drug with potential antiprotozoal activity (imidocarb dipropionate), and 4 cats received no treatment. The findings of this study may indicate the existence of a less virulent strain of C felis .