Abstract:
Cytauxzoonosis is an infectious disease caused by the protozoan parasite Cytauxzoon felis that affects members of the family Felidae. Cytauxzoon belongs to the phylum Apicomplexa, order Piroplasmida, and family Theileriidae. Members of this family are tick-transmitted protozoans that exist in erythrocytic and leukocytic stages in their intended hosts. Historically, the disease was thought to be fatal to domestic cats, but recent cases of host survival have been documented. Studies on the genetic variation of the first and second internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS1 and ITS2) of the rRNA operon have identified five prominent genotypes (ITSA, ITSB, ITSC, ITSG, ITSI) associated with varying cytauxzoonosis severity in the bobcat and domestic cat. Little research has been done so far to uncover how these genotypes are expressed in the vectors of the pathogen, Amblyomma americanum (lone star tick) and Dermacentor variabilis (American dog tick). A number of studies have shown A. americanum to be a more competent vector in the wild. In this study PCR and gel electrophoresis were used to test for the presence of C. felis in blood samples from Felis catus (domestic cat), and the vector A. americanum. After testing for the presence of the parasite in each blood sample, positive samples were DNA sequenced in an attempt to identify distinct C. felis genotypes. Previously genotyped Lynx rufus (bobcat) DNA samples were used as positive controls and for comparison purposes. A total of 109 domestic feral cat samples were collected for this study from June 2019 to February 2020, and a total of 260 lone star tick samples were collected from March 2020 to May 2020. Of the collected samples eight samples from domestic cats and 17 from lone star ticks were sent to Florida State University for DNA sequencing. DNA sequence results showed that our samples were infected with more than one pathogen, the three genera within the order Piroplasmida were identified (Babesia sp, Theileria sp, and Cytauxzoon sp).
Keywords: Cytauxzoon felis