Prevalence of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus and <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> in Feral Cats on St. Kitts, West Indies
<i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> (<i>T. gondii</i>) is a cosmopolitan protozoan parasite that infects all warm-blooded species including humans. The definitive hosts of <i>T. gondii</i> are felid vertebrates including the domestic cat. Domestic cats shed oocysts for appro...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-01-01
|
| Series: | Veterinary Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/8/2/16 |
| _version_ | 1797408948545912832 |
|---|---|
| author | Xinyu Chi Kexin Fang Liza Koster Jevan Christie Chaoqun Yao |
| author_facet | Xinyu Chi Kexin Fang Liza Koster Jevan Christie Chaoqun Yao |
| author_sort | Xinyu Chi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> (<i>T. gondii</i>) is a cosmopolitan protozoan parasite that infects all warm-blooded species including humans. The definitive hosts of <i>T. gondii</i> are felid vertebrates including the domestic cat. Domestic cats shed oocysts for approximately two weeks in their feces after the primary infection. It has been shown that feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) positive cats have a higher prevalence of and a higher titer of antibodies to <i>T. gondii</i> than those of FIV-negative cats. The main purposes of this study were to determine FIV prevalence and to investigate the oocysts shedding in FIV-positive and FIV-negative feral cats on St. Kitts. Fecal samples were collected from feral cats while their FIV statues were determined using a commercial SNAP kit. Total fecal DNA of each cat was tested for the presence of <i>T. gondii</i> DNA using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) consistently detecting one genome equivalent. A FIV-positive status was detected in 18 of 105 (17.1%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 9.9%−24.3%) feral cats sampled. Furthermore, males were three times more likely to be FIV positive than females (<i>p</i> = 0.017) with an odds ratio of 3.93 (95% CI: 1.20–12.89). Adults were found to have at least twice the prevalence of FIV compared to cats younger than one year of age (<i>p</i> = 0.056) with an odds ratio of 3.07 (95% CI: 0.94–10.00). <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> DNA was not detected in the feces of any of the 18 FIV-positive (95% CI: 0%−0.18%) and 87 FIV-negative cats (95% CI: 0%−0.04%). A follow-up study with a much bigger sample size is needed to prove or disprove the hypothesis that FIV-positive cats have a higher prevalence of shedding <i>T. gondii</i> oocysts than FIV-negative cats. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:07:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e3d846ab936d4df7a357331ead0c9296 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2306-7381 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:07:04Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Veterinary Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-e3d846ab936d4df7a357331ead0c92962023-12-03T14:05:42ZengMDPI AGVeterinary Sciences2306-73812021-01-01821610.3390/vetsci8020016Prevalence of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus and <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> in Feral Cats on St. Kitts, West IndiesXinyu Chi0Kexin Fang1Liza Koster2Jevan Christie3Chaoqun Yao4Departments of Biomedical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box 334, Basseterre 00265, Saint Kitts and NevisDepartments of Biomedical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box 334, Basseterre 00265, Saint Kitts and NevisDepartments of One Health Center for Zoonoses and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box 334, Basseterre 00265, Saint Kitts and NevisDepartments of One Health Center for Zoonoses and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box 334, Basseterre 00265, Saint Kitts and NevisDepartments of Biomedical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box 334, Basseterre 00265, Saint Kitts and Nevis<i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> (<i>T. gondii</i>) is a cosmopolitan protozoan parasite that infects all warm-blooded species including humans. The definitive hosts of <i>T. gondii</i> are felid vertebrates including the domestic cat. Domestic cats shed oocysts for approximately two weeks in their feces after the primary infection. It has been shown that feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) positive cats have a higher prevalence of and a higher titer of antibodies to <i>T. gondii</i> than those of FIV-negative cats. The main purposes of this study were to determine FIV prevalence and to investigate the oocysts shedding in FIV-positive and FIV-negative feral cats on St. Kitts. Fecal samples were collected from feral cats while their FIV statues were determined using a commercial SNAP kit. Total fecal DNA of each cat was tested for the presence of <i>T. gondii</i> DNA using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) consistently detecting one genome equivalent. A FIV-positive status was detected in 18 of 105 (17.1%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 9.9%−24.3%) feral cats sampled. Furthermore, males were three times more likely to be FIV positive than females (<i>p</i> = 0.017) with an odds ratio of 3.93 (95% CI: 1.20–12.89). Adults were found to have at least twice the prevalence of FIV compared to cats younger than one year of age (<i>p</i> = 0.056) with an odds ratio of 3.07 (95% CI: 0.94–10.00). <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> DNA was not detected in the feces of any of the 18 FIV-positive (95% CI: 0%−0.18%) and 87 FIV-negative cats (95% CI: 0%−0.04%). A follow-up study with a much bigger sample size is needed to prove or disprove the hypothesis that FIV-positive cats have a higher prevalence of shedding <i>T. gondii</i> oocysts than FIV-negative cats.https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/8/2/16<i>Toxoplasma gondii</i>oocyst sheddingdomestic catferal catfeline immunodeficiency virusfeline leukemia virus |
| spellingShingle | Xinyu Chi Kexin Fang Liza Koster Jevan Christie Chaoqun Yao Prevalence of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus and <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> in Feral Cats on St. Kitts, West Indies Veterinary Sciences <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> oocyst shedding domestic cat feral cat feline immunodeficiency virus feline leukemia virus |
| title | Prevalence of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus and <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> in Feral Cats on St. Kitts, West Indies |
| title_full | Prevalence of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus and <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> in Feral Cats on St. Kitts, West Indies |
| title_fullStr | Prevalence of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus and <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> in Feral Cats on St. Kitts, West Indies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prevalence of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus and <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> in Feral Cats on St. Kitts, West Indies |
| title_short | Prevalence of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus and <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> in Feral Cats on St. Kitts, West Indies |
| title_sort | prevalence of feline immunodeficiency virus and i toxoplasma gondii i in feral cats on st kitts west indies |
| topic | <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> oocyst shedding domestic cat feral cat feline immunodeficiency virus feline leukemia virus |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/8/2/16 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT xinyuchi prevalenceoffelineimmunodeficiencyvirusanditoxoplasmagondiiiinferalcatsonstkittswestindies AT kexinfang prevalenceoffelineimmunodeficiencyvirusanditoxoplasmagondiiiinferalcatsonstkittswestindies AT lizakoster prevalenceoffelineimmunodeficiencyvirusanditoxoplasmagondiiiinferalcatsonstkittswestindies AT jevanchristie prevalenceoffelineimmunodeficiencyvirusanditoxoplasmagondiiiinferalcatsonstkittswestindies AT chaoqunyao prevalenceoffelineimmunodeficiencyvirusanditoxoplasmagondiiiinferalcatsonstkittswestindies |