{"title":"Disclosing coinfections: The interaction between Toxoplasma gondii and hemotropic agents in Colombian dogs and cats","authors":"C. Ríos-Úsuga , L.M. Rendón-Ramos , I.L. Jaramillo-Delgado , N.M. Correa-Valencia","doi":"10.1016/j.cimid.2025.102385","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study aimed to analyze the relationships between <em>Toxoplasma gondii</em> infection and hemotropic species (i.e., Rickettsiales, <em>Hepatozoon</em> spp<em>.</em>, <em>Mycoplasma</em> spp<em>.</em>, <em>Babesia</em> spp., <em>Bartonella</em> spp., and <em>Trypanosoma</em> spp<em>.</em>) via qPCR and to explore the associations between <em>T. gondii</em> monoinfection or coinfection with hemotropic species and the characteristics of dogs and cats in Antioquia (Colombia). A cross-sectional study was conducted with blood samples from dogs and cats positive for <em>T. gondii</em> by qPCR, with or without hemotropic coinfection. Hemogram results and demographic data were analyzed. Associations with monoinfection/coinfection were tested via Fisher’s exact test or the ꭕ² test (p < 0.10). Among the 590 animals (383 dogs, 207 cats), 262 (44.4 %) tested positive for <em>T. gondii</em> (dogs: 175/262, 66.8 %; cats: 87/262, 33.2 %). Among the dogs, 73.7 % had coinfections, including Rickettsiales (101/129), <em>Mycoplasma</em> spp<em>.</em> (55/129), <em>Hepatozoon</em> spp<em>.</em> (9/129), <em>Bartonella</em> spp<em>.</em> (7/129), and <em>Babesia</em> spp<em>.</em> (2/129); none tested positive for <em>Trypanosoma</em> spp<em>.</em> Coinfections were associated with breed, outdoor access, reticulocytes, lymphocytes, or reproductive status. In cats, 72.4 % had coinfections: <em>Bartonella</em> spp<em>.</em> (40/63), <em>Mycoplasma</em> spp<em>.</em> (23/63), Rickettsiales (11/63), and <em>Hepatozoon</em> spp<em>.</em> (3/63). All the cats tested negative for <em>Babesia</em> spp. and <em>Trypanosoma</em> spp. Coinfections were associated with leukocyte, neutrophil, lymphocyte, and protein alterations. <em>T. gondii</em> is prevalent in dogs and cats, with frequent coinfections. Environmental and biological factors influence these patterns, underscoring the importance of integrated diagnostics and surveillance. These findings suggest associations that warrant further investigation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50999,"journal":{"name":"Comparative Immunology Microbiology and Infectious Diseases","volume":"122 ","pages":"Article 102385"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0000,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Comparative Immunology Microbiology and Infectious Diseases","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147957125000931","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q4","JCRName":"IMMUNOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
This study aimed to analyze the relationships between Toxoplasma gondii infection and hemotropic species (i.e., Rickettsiales, Hepatozoon spp., Mycoplasma spp., Babesia spp., Bartonella spp., and Trypanosoma spp.) via qPCR and to explore the associations between T. gondii monoinfection or coinfection with hemotropic species and the characteristics of dogs and cats in Antioquia (Colombia). A cross-sectional study was conducted with blood samples from dogs and cats positive for T. gondii by qPCR, with or without hemotropic coinfection. Hemogram results and demographic data were analyzed. Associations with monoinfection/coinfection were tested via Fisher’s exact test or the ꭕ² test (p < 0.10). Among the 590 animals (383 dogs, 207 cats), 262 (44.4 %) tested positive for T. gondii (dogs: 175/262, 66.8 %; cats: 87/262, 33.2 %). Among the dogs, 73.7 % had coinfections, including Rickettsiales (101/129), Mycoplasma spp. (55/129), Hepatozoon spp. (9/129), Bartonella spp. (7/129), and Babesia spp. (2/129); none tested positive for Trypanosoma spp. Coinfections were associated with breed, outdoor access, reticulocytes, lymphocytes, or reproductive status. In cats, 72.4 % had coinfections: Bartonella spp. (40/63), Mycoplasma spp. (23/63), Rickettsiales (11/63), and Hepatozoon spp. (3/63). All the cats tested negative for Babesia spp. and Trypanosoma spp. Coinfections were associated with leukocyte, neutrophil, lymphocyte, and protein alterations. T. gondii is prevalent in dogs and cats, with frequent coinfections. Environmental and biological factors influence these patterns, underscoring the importance of integrated diagnostics and surveillance. These findings suggest associations that warrant further investigation.
期刊介绍:
Comparative Immunology, Microbiology & Infectious Diseases aims to respond to the concept of "One Medicine" and to provide a venue for scientific exchange. Based on the concept of "Comparative Medicine" interdisciplinary cooperation between specialists in human and animal medicine is of mutual interest and benefit. Therefore, there is need to combine the respective interest of physicians, veterinarians and other health professionals for comparative studies relevant to either human or animal medicine .
The journal is open to subjects of common interest related to the immunology, immunopathology, microbiology, parasitology and epidemiology of human and animal infectious diseases, especially zoonotic infections, and animal models of human infectious diseases. The role of environmental factors in disease emergence is emphasized. CIMID is mainly focusing on applied veterinary and human medicine rather than on fundamental experimental research.