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

Year 2020, Volume: 9 Issue: 2, 734 - 737, 06.12.2020

Mehmet Gültekin , Mehmet Karakuş , Seray Töz Hüseyin Voyvoda

Abstract

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.

Keywords

clinical case, cat, leishmania infantum, Turkey

Thanks

We thank to Prof. Dr. Yusuf Ozbel for reviewing the manuscript. This article presented as an oral presentation at the 10th National Veterinary Internal Medicine Congress held in Nevşehir, Turkey during 27 to 30 June 2013. Summary printed in the abstract book of the congress with the title of "First Case of Clinical Feline Leishmaniasis in Turkey".

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