Cytauxzoonosis in felines: an emerging concern for domestic and wild cats
摘要
Cytauxzoonosis is an emerging tick-borne disease affecting domestic and wild cats, caused by the protozoan parasite Cytauxzoon spp. Traditionally, Cytauxzoonosis was considered fatal, but recent reports indicate the presence of chronic and carrier cases in various parts of the world. Bobcat (Lynx rufus) is identified as the natural reservoir host of this parasite, and ticks like Amblyomma americanum and Dermacentor variabilis serving as vectors, transmitting C. felis from bobcats to domestic cats. The clinical disease owes to schizont stage of the organism with varying clinical manifestations in both domestic and wild cats. To date, cytauxzoonosis has been documented exclusively in felids, with no reports of infections in non-felids. Diagnosis is typically based on the presence of ring-shaped merozoites in erythrocytes, but the molecular testing is considered definitive for acute stages of the disease. Historically, cytauxzoonosis in domestic cats was reported in North and South America. However, recent years have seen occurrences in Europe and Asia, with sporadic outbreaks reported in India.