Estudi epidemiològic i clinicopatològic de la infecció per leptospira spp. En gats a espanya (catalunya i extremadura)
- Autores: Diana Andrea Murillo
- Directores de la Tesis: Rafaela Cuenca Valera (dir. tes.), Josep Pastor Milán (codir. tes.)
- Lectura: En la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona ( España ) en 2020
- Idioma: español
- ISBN: 9788449096433
- Tribunal Calificador de la Tesis: Rafael Barrera Chacón (presid.), Marta Planellas Bachs (secret.), Ana C. Silvestre-Ferreira (voc.)
- Programa de doctorado: Programa de Doctorado en Medicina y Sanidad Animales por la Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona
- Materias:
- Enlaces
- Tesis en acceso abierto en: TDX
- Resumen
Leptospirosis is a re-emerging zoonosis, caused by a bacterium of the genus Leptospira. It is the most widespread bacterial zoonosis worldwide. Its main reservoir are mammals, including domestic cats. It is usually spread through contaminated soil and water. An infected animal may develop an acute state of the disease or become a reservoir. Research carried out during the last 8 years, has studied the cat as a reservoir of the infection. Currently, there are no data on the epidemiology of the infection in cats in Spain and prevalence may vary depending on the geographical location, as it has been published worldwide.
Most of the clinicopathological data published associated with leptospirosis in cats are from acute or experimental infections. Nevertheless, the information in the species is very scarce in case of the chronic renal carrier state. The differences in clinicopathological parameters between naturally infected and leptospires-free animals may assist clinicians in the recognition and diagnosis of chronic renal carrier state of leptospires in cats.
The general goal of this thesis was to provide more extensive knowledge about leptospires infection in cats, through the following specific objectives: 1. To evaluate the presence of antibodies against pathogenic Leptospira species and to determine the presence of DNA in urine and blood in free-roaming cats from two different geographical areas in Spain.
2. To determine differences in haematology, biochemical profile and urinary parameters between naturally infected cats and leptospires-free cats.
3. To assess the variables of the inflammatory response and antioxidant state in naturally infected cats and leptospires-free cats.
Three studies were carried out. In the first one, we determined antibodies prevalence, blood DNA, and shedding of DNA from pathogenic Leptospira species in the urine of free-roaming cats, in two geographical regions in Spain. Antibodies were detected in 10/244 cats (4.1%). The most common serovar detected was Cynopteri. Blood samples from 1/89 cats (1.12%) and urine samples from 4/232 cats amplified for leptospiral DNA (1.72%). In conclusion, free-roaming cats in Spain can shed pathogenic Leptospira spp. DNA in their urine and may be a source of human infection.
In the second study, the differences in haematology, biochemical profile and urinary parameters between naturally infected by pathogenic leptospires and leptospires-free were studied. Cats naturally infected had lower values of RBC, haemoglobin, albumin, creatinine and urea compared to leptospires-free cats. Positive Leptospira spp. DNA amplification cats were at high risk for the development of non-regenerative, whereas, seropositive cats were more likely to have proteinuria. Chronic infection and exposure to leptospires lead to haematological abnormalities and slight alterations in the biochemical profile and urinalysis.
The third study evaluated the inflammatory proteins (APPs) and the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) to gain knowledge about the course of the disease in cats, through a Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Our work concludes that Leptospira spp. DNA infected cats had an acute phase response, unlike, to seropositive cats. Besides, there was an increase in TAC serum concentrations indicating an antioxidant response in the infection, which is proportional to the antibody titre and not to the presence of bacterial DNA.
