First clinical case of leishmaniosis due to Leishmania infantum in a domestic cat from Turkey

Öz

A 12-year-old, female domestic cat was admitted with a history of suffering from pruritic, recurrent crusting-ulcerative skin lesions on the neck for several years. Physical examination revealed lesions with hair loss, mild crusting, and ulcerative plaques on the neck. Two weeks prior to the presentation, an attempt to treat the cat in a private clinic was unsuccessful. Based on history and dermatological signs, leishmaniosis was suspected. No Leishmania amastigotes were found on microscopical examination of the skin, blood, and lymph node smears stained using Giemsa, and serological tests for detecting FeLV and FIV gave negative results. The presumptive diagnosis was confirmed by the detection of L. infantum DNA by C-nPCR in EDTA blood samples. Treatment with enrofloxacin and supporting drugs for two weeks provided complete recovery of skin lesions one month after the treatment, and the direct detection of pathogen DNA was negative. At a yearly follow-up for 3 years, no clinical recurrences were observed. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first clinical case of L. infantum infection diagnosed in a domestic cat in Turkey.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• clinical case
• cat
• leishmania infantum
• Turkey

Kaynakça

1. Baneth, G., & Solano-Gallego, L. (2012). Leishmaniases. In Greene, C.E., (Eds.) Greene’s Infectious Diseases of the Dog and Cat (4th ed.). St Louis: Saunders Elsevier. pp. 734–749.
2. Bianciardi, P., Fasanella, A., Manzillo, V. F., Trotta, T., Pagano, A., Sorino, S., Gradoni, L., & Oliva, G. (2004). The efficacy of enrofloxacin, alone or combined with metronidazole, in the therapy of canine leishmaniasis. Parasitology Research, 93(6), 486-492. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-004-1170-0
3. Can, H., Döşkaya, M., Özdemir, H. G., Şahar, E. A., Karakavuk, M., Pektaş, B., Karakuş, M., Töz, S., Caner, A., Döşkaya, A.D. & İz, S. G. (2016). Seroprevalence of Leishmania infection and molecular detection of Leishmania tropica and Leishmania infantum in stray cats of İzmir, Turkey. Experimental parasitology, 167, 109-114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exppara.2016.05.011
4. Chatzis, M. K., Andreadou, M., Leontides, L., Kasabalis, D., Mylonakis, M., Koutinas, A. F., Rallis, T., Ikonomopoulos, J., & Saridomichelakis, M. N. (2014). Cytological and molecular detection of Leishmania infantum in different tissues of clinically normal and sick cats. Veterinary Parasitology, 202(3-4), 217-225. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2014.02.044
5. Francino, O., Altet, L., Sanchez-Robert, E., Rodriguez, A., Solano-Gallego, L., Alberola, J., Ferrer, L., Sánchez, A., & Roura, X. (2006). Advantages of real-time PCR assay for diagnosis and monitoring of canine leishmaniosis. Veterinary Parasitology, 137(3-4), 214-221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2006.01.011
6. Gramiccia, M. (2011). Recent advances in leishmaniosis in pet animals: epidemiology, diagnostics and anti-vectorial prophylaxis. Veterinary Parasitology, 181(1), 23-30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2011.04.019
7. Hervás, J., De Lara, F. C. M., Sánchez-Isarria, M. A., Pellicer, S., Carrasco, L., Castillo, J. A., & Gómez-Villamandos, J. C. (1999). Two cases of feline visceral and cutaneous leishmaniosis in Spain. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 1(2), 101-105. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1098-612x(99)90066-9
8. Koutinas, A.F. & Mylonakis, M.E. (2010, April 17-18). Canine leishmaniasis complicated by tick-borne diseases, common in the Mediterranean countries [Conference presentation]. 2nd International Congress on Canine Leishmaniasis, Pisa, Italy.

9. Leiva, M., Lloret, A., Peña, T., & Roura, X. (2005). Therapy of ocular and visceral leishmaniasis in a cat. Veterinary Ophthalmology, 8(1), 71-75. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1463-5224.2005.00342.x
10. Maia, C., Gomes, J., Cristóvão, J., Nunes, M., Martins, A., Rebêlo, E., & Campino, L. (2010). Feline Leishmania infection in a canine leishmaniasis endemic region, Portugal. Veterinary Parasitology, 174(3-4), 336-340. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.08.030
11. Ozon, C., Marty, P., Pratlong, F., Breton, C., Blein, M., Leliévre, A., & Haas, P. (1998). Disseminated feline leishmaniosis due to Leishmania infantum in Southern France. Veterinary Parasitology, 75(2-3), 273-277. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0304-4017(97)00174-x
12. Paşa, S., Vardarlı, A. T., Erol, N., Karakuş, M., Töz, S., Atasoy, A., Balcıoğlu, İ.C., Tuna, G.E., Ermiş, Ö.V., Ertabaklar, H., & Özbel, Y. (2015). Detection of Leishmania major and Leishmania tropica in domestic cats in the Ege Region of Turkey. Veterinary Parasitology, 212(3-4), 389-392. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2015.07.042
13. Pennisi, M.G. (2002). A high prevalence of feline leishmaniasis in southern Italy. In Killick-Kendrick, R., (Eds.) Canine Leishmaniasis: Moving Towards a Solution, Boxmeer, The Netherlands, Intervet International, pp. 39–48.
14. Pennisi, M. G., Cardoso, L., Baneth, G., Bourdeau, P., Koutinas, A., Miró, G., Oliva, G. & Solano-Gallego, L. (2015). LeishVet update and recommendations on feline leishmaniosis. Parasites & Vectors, 8(1), 302. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-015-0909-z
15. Pennisi, M. G., Hartmann, K., Lloret, A., Addie, D., Belák, S., Boucraut-Baralon, C., Egberink, H., Frymus, T., Gruffydd-Jones, T., Hosie, M.J. & Lutz, H. (2013). Leishmaniosis in cats: ABCD guidelines on prevention and management. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 15(7), 638-642. https://doi.org/10.1177/1098612x13489229
16. Poli, A., Abramo, F., Barsotti, P., Leva, S., Gramiccia, M., Ludovisi, A., & Mancianti, F. (2002). Feline leishmaniosis due to Leishmania infantum in Italy. Veterinary Parasitology, 106(3), 181-191. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0304-4017(02)00081-x
17. Sergent, E., Sergent, E. T., Lombard, J., & Quilichini, M. (1912). La leishmaniose à Alger. Infection simultanée d’un enfant, d’un chien et d’un chat dans la même habitation. Le Bulletin de la Société de Pathologie Exotique, 5, 93-98.
18. Simões-Mattos, L., Bevilaqua, C., Mattos, M., Pompeu, M. (2004). Feline leishmaniasis: uncommon or unknown? Revista Portuguesa Ciências Veterinarias, 99: 79-88.
19. Spickler, A.R. (2010). Leishmaniasis (cutaneous and visceral). In Spickler, A.R., (Eds.) Emerging and Exotic Diseases of Animals. Iowa, USA. CFSPH Iowa State University. pp: 205-210.
20. Toz, S.O., Ertabaklar, H., Ozbel, Y., Balcioglu, C.I., Yildizli, N., Alkan, M.Z. (2005). Seroprevalence of Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis in Kusadasi, Turkey. Turkish Journal of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, 29: 23-26. https://journals.tubitak.gov.tr/veterinary/abstract.htm?id=7359
21. Toz, S. O., Culha, G., Zeyrek, F. Y., Ertabaklar, H., Alkan, M. Z., Vardarlı, A. T., Gunduz, C. & Ozbel, Y. (2013). A real-time ITS1-PCR based method in the diagnosis and species identification of Leishmania parasite from human and dog clinical samples in Turkey. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 7(5), e2205. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0002205
22. van Eys Guillaume, J. J. M., Schoone, G. J., Kroon, N. C., & Ebeling, S. B. (1992). Sequence analysis of small subunit ribosomal RNA genes and its use for detection and identification of Leishmania parasites. Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology, 51(1), 133-142. https://doi.org/10.1016/0166-6851(92)90208-2