Detection and modeling of anti-Leptospira IgG prevalence in cats from Lisbon area and its correlation to retroviral infections, lifestyle, clinical and hematologic changes

• Published in: Veterinary and animal science Vol. 10; p. 100144
• Main Authors: Moreira da Silva, Joana, Prata, Sara, Domingues, Tiago Dias, Leal, Rodolfo Oliveira, Nunes, Telmo, Tavares, Luís, Almeida, Virgílio, Sepúlveda, Nuno, Gil, Solange
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2020; Elsevier
• Subjects: FIV positive; Free-roaming cats; IgG; Leptospirosis; One Health; Leptospirosis; MAT; AST; IDIU; CBC; ALP; IgG; FeLV; USG; ALT; VTH; FIV positive; FIV; PAHO; CKD; Free-roaming cats; One Health; ELISA; WHO
• ISSN: 2451-943X; 2451-943X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vas.2020.100144

•Anti-Leptospira IgG seroprevalence was estimated on cats from Lisbon, Portugal via ELISA.•A mathematical model was applied to raw data to establish the real cut-off value of seroprevalence.•Of the 243 samples, 59.3% tested positive for anti-Leptospira IgG.•A positive correlation between low anti-Leptospira IgG and FIV+ was detected (p = 0.02).•No correlation was detected between anti-Leptospira IgG values and outdoor lifestyle. Leptospirosis is a zoonosis of global importance caused by Leptospira species. Rodents are the main reservoirs, known to shed the bacteria in urine, thus contaminating water and soil and infecting other animals and people. Leptospirosis has been re-emerging in both developing and developed countries including Europe. It has been hypothesized that cats could be asymptomatic carriers of Leptospira. This study aims to evaluate cats’ exposure to Leptospira in Lisbon, Portugal, by measuring IgG titres and correlating them with possible factors that may increase the risk of exposure in urban cats. Two hundred and forty-three samples were collected from the biobank. An ELISA test followed by a seroprevalence analysis using a finite mixture model was performed to detect and measure anti-Leptospira IgG antibodies titres. In parallel, a survey was conducted to identify possible risk factors for seropositivity. According to the ELISA test protocol, only twenty-three cats (9.5%; 95% CI =(6.1%;13.9%)) could be considered as seropositive to Leptospira antigens. However, when the same data were analysed by the best different mixture models, one hundred and forty-four cats (59.3%; 95%CI = (52.8%; 65.5%)) could be classified as intermediate and high antibody responders to Leptospira antigens. Seropositivity to Feline Immunodeficiency Virus infection (FIV) was found to be the only significant risk factor associated with anti-Leptospira IgG antibodies. In conclusion, the present studies raises the possibility of a higher exposure of cats to Leptospira than previously thought due to the identification of a subpopulation of cats with intermediate antibody levels.