{"title":"伊朗的猫媒介传播病原体。","authors":"Alireza Sazmand, Mariaelisa Carbonara, Leili Moradi, Pardis Almasi, Shiva Saruei, Mozhdeh Moradi-Jam, Anahita Akhondi, Parmida Malekzadeh, Soheila Ghaharzade-Mahabadi, Amin Bakhshani, Omid Chashnigir, Baharak Akhtardanesh, Hamidreza Moosavian, Mohammad Ramezani, Darioush Shirani, Livia Perles, Jairo Alfonso Mendoza-Roldan, Zainab Sadeghi-Dehkordi, Reza Nabavi, Fateme Jalousian, Domenico Otranto","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06788-x","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Feline vector-borne pathogens (FeVBPs) are common in tropical and subtropical countries, mainly due to favorable climate conditions for arthropod perpetuation coupled with limited preventive measures. However, data regarding the actual burden of these infections among cats are still scarce compared with dogs. The present study aimed to provide an overview of the prevalence of FeVBPs infections in Iran.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>From December 2018 to February 2023, a total of 848 cats of both sexes, different ages, and with outdoor lifestyle living in 7 provinces of Iran were blood sampled and molecularly screened for Hepatozoon spp., Babesia spp., Cytauxzoon spp., Dirofilaria spp., and Leishmania spp.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Overall, 5.4% of cats scored positive for at least one VBP, with Hepatozoon spp. being the most common (3.8%), followed by Leishmania spp. (2.5%) and Dirofilaria immitis (0.7%). The Hepatozoon-positive cats lived in localities from the eastern, western, and central-northern regions; most of them (n = 25) were infected by Hepatozoon felis, and the remaining (n = 3) by Hepatozoon canis. Leishmania spp.-infected cats were detected from the east, center, and west of the country, while D. immitis-positive animals lived in central-north areas.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>To our knowledge, this is the first large-scale molecular epidemiology study of vector-borne pathogens in cats in Iran. The circulation of several VBPs, including those with zoonotic potential (i.e., D. immitis and Leishmania spp.) highlights the importance of endo- and ectoparasite control measures in owned cats and suggests that controlling the population of feral animals (e.g., through spaying and neutering campaigns) would contribute to reducing the risk of transmission of VBPs.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"160"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0000,"publicationDate":"2025-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12039143/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":"{\"title\":\"Feline vector-borne pathogens in Iran.\",\"authors\":\"Alireza Sazmand, Mariaelisa Carbonara, Leili Moradi, Pardis Almasi, Shiva Saruei, Mozhdeh Moradi-Jam, Anahita Akhondi, Parmida Malekzadeh, Soheila Ghaharzade-Mahabadi, Amin Bakhshani, Omid Chashnigir, Baharak Akhtardanesh, Hamidreza Moosavian, Mohammad Ramezani, Darioush Shirani, Livia Perles, Jairo Alfonso Mendoza-Roldan, Zainab Sadeghi-Dehkordi, Reza Nabavi, Fateme Jalousian, Domenico Otranto\",\"doi\":\"10.1186/s13071-025-06788-x\",\"DOIUrl\":null,\"url\":null,\"abstract\":\"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Feline vector-borne pathogens (FeVBPs) are common in tropical and subtropical countries, mainly due to favorable climate conditions for arthropod perpetuation coupled with limited preventive measures. However, data regarding the actual burden of these infections among cats are still scarce compared with dogs. The present study aimed to provide an overview of the prevalence of FeVBPs infections in Iran.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>From December 2018 to February 2023, a total of 848 cats of both sexes, different ages, and with outdoor lifestyle living in 7 provinces of Iran were blood sampled and molecularly screened for Hepatozoon spp., Babesia spp., Cytauxzoon spp., Dirofilaria spp., and Leishmania spp.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Overall, 5.4% of cats scored positive for at least one VBP, with Hepatozoon spp. being the most common (3.8%), followed by Leishmania spp. (2.5%) and Dirofilaria immitis (0.7%). The Hepatozoon-positive cats lived in localities from the eastern, western, and central-northern regions; most of them (n = 25) were infected by Hepatozoon felis, and the remaining (n = 3) by Hepatozoon canis. Leishmania spp.-infected cats were detected from the east, center, and west of the country, while D. immitis-positive animals lived in central-north areas.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>To our knowledge, this is the first large-scale molecular epidemiology study of vector-borne pathogens in cats in Iran. The circulation of several VBPs, including those with zoonotic potential (i.e., D. immitis and Leishmania spp.) highlights the importance of endo- and ectoparasite control measures in owned cats and suggests that controlling the population of feral animals (e.g., through spaying and neutering campaigns) would contribute to reducing the risk of transmission of VBPs.</p>\",\"PeriodicalId\":19793,\"journal\":{\"name\":\"Parasites & Vectors\",\"volume\":\"18 1\",\"pages\":\"160\"},\"PeriodicalIF\":3.0000,\"publicationDate\":\"2025-04-28\",\"publicationTypes\":\"Journal Article\",\"fieldsOfStudy\":null,\"isOpenAccess\":false,\"openAccessPdf\":\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12039143/pdf/\",\"citationCount\":\"0\",\"resultStr\":null,\"platform\":\"Semanticscholar\",\"paperid\":null,\"PeriodicalName\":\"Parasites & Vectors\",\"FirstCategoryId\":\"3\",\"ListUrlMain\":\"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-025-06788-x\",\"RegionNum\":2,\"RegionCategory\":\"医学\",\"ArticlePicture\":[],\"TitleCN\":null,\"AbstractTextCN\":null,\"PMCID\":null,\"EPubDate\":\"\",\"PubModel\":\"\",\"JCR\":\"Q1\",\"JCRName\":\"PARASITOLOGY\",\"Score\":null,\"Total\":0}","platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Parasites & Vectors","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-025-06788-x","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"PARASITOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
Background: Feline vector-borne pathogens (FeVBPs) are common in tropical and subtropical countries, mainly due to favorable climate conditions for arthropod perpetuation coupled with limited preventive measures. However, data regarding the actual burden of these infections among cats are still scarce compared with dogs. The present study aimed to provide an overview of the prevalence of FeVBPs infections in Iran.
Methods: From December 2018 to February 2023, a total of 848 cats of both sexes, different ages, and with outdoor lifestyle living in 7 provinces of Iran were blood sampled and molecularly screened for Hepatozoon spp., Babesia spp., Cytauxzoon spp., Dirofilaria spp., and Leishmania spp.
Results: Overall, 5.4% of cats scored positive for at least one VBP, with Hepatozoon spp. being the most common (3.8%), followed by Leishmania spp. (2.5%) and Dirofilaria immitis (0.7%). The Hepatozoon-positive cats lived in localities from the eastern, western, and central-northern regions; most of them (n = 25) were infected by Hepatozoon felis, and the remaining (n = 3) by Hepatozoon canis. Leishmania spp.-infected cats were detected from the east, center, and west of the country, while D. immitis-positive animals lived in central-north areas.
Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first large-scale molecular epidemiology study of vector-borne pathogens in cats in Iran. The circulation of several VBPs, including those with zoonotic potential (i.e., D. immitis and Leishmania spp.) highlights the importance of endo- and ectoparasite control measures in owned cats and suggests that controlling the population of feral animals (e.g., through spaying and neutering campaigns) would contribute to reducing the risk of transmission of VBPs.
期刊介绍:
Parasites & Vectors is an open access, peer-reviewed online journal dealing with the biology of parasites, parasitic diseases, intermediate hosts, vectors and vector-borne pathogens. Manuscripts published in this journal will be available to all worldwide, with no barriers to access, immediately following acceptance. However, authors retain the copyright of their material and may use it, or distribute it, as they wish.
Manuscripts on all aspects of the basic and applied biology of parasites, intermediate hosts, vectors and vector-borne pathogens will be considered. In addition to the traditional and well-established areas of science in these fields, we also aim to provide a vehicle for publication of the rapidly developing resources and technology in parasite, intermediate host and vector genomics and their impacts on biological research. We are able to publish large datasets and extensive results, frequently associated with genomic and post-genomic technologies, which are not readily accommodated in traditional journals. Manuscripts addressing broader issues, for example economics, social sciences and global climate change in relation to parasites, vectors and disease control, are also welcomed.