PREVALENCE OF ANTIBODIES AGAINST-Leishmania infantum BY IMMUNOFLUORESCENCE ANTIBODY TEST (IFAT) AND RISK FACTORS IN DOMESTIC CATS IN PARAGUAY

Abstract

Leishmaniasis is a zoonotic infection caused by different species of Leishmania, affecting many types of mammals. Recent investigations have shown the involvement of cats in the epidemiological chain of this disease. Blood samples from 317 domestic cats were analyzed to determine the occurrence of this infection. The samples were from the metropolitan area of Asuncion and the Department of Paraguarí, obtained by home visits or by stray cats euthanized at the National Rabies Paraguay, and were tested by Immunofluorescence Antobody Test (IFAT). 57 cats (18%) were from rural area, and 260 (82%) from urban area. Regarding age, 69 cats (21.8%) were less than 1 year, 219 (69.1%) had between 1 and 5 years, 27 (8.5%) between 6 and 10 years and 2 (0.6 %) animals had more than 10 years. Regarding gender, 184 (58%) were females and 133 (42%) males. Only 4 (1.3%) cats were purebred Siamese, and the other 313 (98.73%) were crossbred. The results revealed that three (0.94%) animals presented anti-Leishmania antibodies by IFAT, 1 presenting titre 40 and 2 titre 80.  No association was statistically significant (p < 0.05) between serology and the risk factors related to animal habitat and management of cats. According to the results, so far the cats do not represent importance participation in the epidemiological chain of visceral leishmaniasis when comparing with dogs, which generally has a higher seroprevalence in seroepidemiological investigations in different regions of Paraguay. This fact reveals the importance of further study on the role of these animals in the transmission of visceral Leishmaniasis.