Low prevalence of Babesia hongkongensis infection in community and privately-owned cats in Hong Kong

A. Almendros; Y. R. Choi; T. L. Leung; W. Y. J. Tam; D. Hernandez Muguiro; F. M. Woodhouse; J. J. Gray; J. A. Beatty; V. R. Barrs

doi:10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102278

Low prevalence of Babesia hongkongensis infection in community and privately-owned cats in Hong Kong

A. Almendros^*, Y. R. Choi, T. L. Leung, W. Y. J. Tam, D. Hernandez Muguiro, F. M. Woodhouse, J. J. Gray, J. A. Beatty, V. R. Barrs

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

44 Downloads (CityUHK Scholars)

Abstract

Domestic cats are susceptible to infection with at least 11 species of Babesia. In Hong Kong, where dogs are commonly infected with B. gibsoni, a single infection in a cat by a novel species, B. hongkongensis, was reported previously. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of Babesia spp. detection in cats in Hong Kong. Residual blood-derived DNA from healthy free-roaming community cats (n = 239), and privately-owned cats with and without anaemia undergoing diagnostic investigations (n = 125) was tested for Babesia spp. DNA using a pan-Babesia PCR targeting mitochondrial Cytochrome B, and a B. hongkongensis specific PCR targeting 18S rRNA. Positive samples were confirmed by sequencing and comparative sequence analysis against the GenBank nucleotide database. Babesia hongkongensis was detected in 4/239 (1.7 %) community cats, and 0/125 (0.0 %) privately-owned cats. Babesia gibsoni was detected in 0/239 community cats and 1/125 (0.8 %) privately-owned cats. Cats infected with B. hongkongensis were clinically healthy at the time of sampling. The B. gibsoni-infected cat was anaemic and thrombocytopenic. Cats in Hong Kong can be infected with B. hongkongensis and B. gibsoni, albeit at low frequency. The tick vector for B. hongkongensis is yet to be identified. © 2023 The Author(s)

Original language	English
Article number	102278
Journal	Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases
Volume	15
Issue number	1
Online published	16 Nov 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102278
Publication status	Published - Jan 2024

Research Keywords

Babesia
Feline babesiosis
Prevalence
Tick fever
Tick-borne infection

Publisher's Copyright Statement

This full text is made available under CC-BY 4.0. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Access Output

10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102278

180196261.pdfFinal Published version, 412 KBLicence: CC BY

Other Access Options

Check CityUHK Library

Permanent Link

Right click to copy link

Cite this

@article{37b739df92e14d6f834d9cde7f168e15,

title = "Low prevalence of Babesia hongkongensis infection in community and privately-owned cats in Hong Kong",

abstract = "Domestic cats are susceptible to infection with at least 11 species of Babesia. In Hong Kong, where dogs are commonly infected with B. gibsoni, a single infection in a cat by a novel species, B. hongkongensis, was reported previously. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of Babesia spp. detection in cats in Hong Kong. Residual blood-derived DNA from healthy free-roaming community cats (n = 239), and privately-owned cats with and without anaemia undergoing diagnostic investigations (n = 125) was tested for Babesia spp. DNA using a pan-Babesia PCR targeting mitochondrial Cytochrome B, and a B. hongkongensis specific PCR targeting 18S rRNA. Positive samples were confirmed by sequencing and comparative sequence analysis against the GenBank nucleotide database. Babesia hongkongensis was detected in 4/239 (1.7 %) community cats, and 0/125 (0.0 %) privately-owned cats. Babesia gibsoni was detected in 0/239 community cats and 1/125 (0.8 %) privately-owned cats. Cats infected with B. hongkongensis were clinically healthy at the time of sampling. The B. gibsoni-infected cat was anaemic and thrombocytopenic. Cats in Hong Kong can be infected with B. hongkongensis and B. gibsoni, albeit at low frequency. The tick vector for B. hongkongensis is yet to be identified. {\textcopyright} 2023 The Author(s)",

keywords = "Babesia, Feline babesiosis, Prevalence, Tick fever, Tick-borne infection",

author = "A. Almendros and Choi, {Y. R.} and Leung, {T. L.} and Tam, {W. Y. J.} and {Hernandez Muguiro}, D. and Woodhouse, {F. M.} and Gray, {J. J.} and Beatty, {J. A.} and Barrs, {V. R.}",

year = "2024",

month = jan,

doi = "10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102278",

language = "English",

volume = "15",

journal = "Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases",

issn = "1877-959X",

publisher = "Elsevier GmbH",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Low prevalence of Babesia hongkongensis infection in community and privately-owned cats in Hong Kong

AU - Almendros, A.

AU - Choi, Y. R.

AU - Leung, T. L.

AU - Tam, W. Y. J.

AU - Hernandez Muguiro, D.

AU - Woodhouse, F. M.

AU - Gray, J. J.

AU - Beatty, J. A.

AU - Barrs, V. R.

PY - 2024/1

Y1 - 2024/1

N2 - Domestic cats are susceptible to infection with at least 11 species of Babesia. In Hong Kong, where dogs are commonly infected with B. gibsoni, a single infection in a cat by a novel species, B. hongkongensis, was reported previously. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of Babesia spp. detection in cats in Hong Kong. Residual blood-derived DNA from healthy free-roaming community cats (n = 239), and privately-owned cats with and without anaemia undergoing diagnostic investigations (n = 125) was tested for Babesia spp. DNA using a pan-Babesia PCR targeting mitochondrial Cytochrome B, and a B. hongkongensis specific PCR targeting 18S rRNA. Positive samples were confirmed by sequencing and comparative sequence analysis against the GenBank nucleotide database. Babesia hongkongensis was detected in 4/239 (1.7 %) community cats, and 0/125 (0.0 %) privately-owned cats. Babesia gibsoni was detected in 0/239 community cats and 1/125 (0.8 %) privately-owned cats. Cats infected with B. hongkongensis were clinically healthy at the time of sampling. The B. gibsoni-infected cat was anaemic and thrombocytopenic. Cats in Hong Kong can be infected with B. hongkongensis and B. gibsoni, albeit at low frequency. The tick vector for B. hongkongensis is yet to be identified. © 2023 The Author(s)

AB - Domestic cats are susceptible to infection with at least 11 species of Babesia. In Hong Kong, where dogs are commonly infected with B. gibsoni, a single infection in a cat by a novel species, B. hongkongensis, was reported previously. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of Babesia spp. detection in cats in Hong Kong. Residual blood-derived DNA from healthy free-roaming community cats (n = 239), and privately-owned cats with and without anaemia undergoing diagnostic investigations (n = 125) was tested for Babesia spp. DNA using a pan-Babesia PCR targeting mitochondrial Cytochrome B, and a B. hongkongensis specific PCR targeting 18S rRNA. Positive samples were confirmed by sequencing and comparative sequence analysis against the GenBank nucleotide database. Babesia hongkongensis was detected in 4/239 (1.7 %) community cats, and 0/125 (0.0 %) privately-owned cats. Babesia gibsoni was detected in 0/239 community cats and 1/125 (0.8 %) privately-owned cats. Cats infected with B. hongkongensis were clinically healthy at the time of sampling. The B. gibsoni-infected cat was anaemic and thrombocytopenic. Cats in Hong Kong can be infected with B. hongkongensis and B. gibsoni, albeit at low frequency. The tick vector for B. hongkongensis is yet to be identified. © 2023 The Author(s)

KW - Babesia

KW - Feline babesiosis

KW - Prevalence

KW - Tick fever

KW - Tick-borne infection

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85177029794&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - https://www.scopus.com/record/pubmetrics.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85177029794&origin=recordpage

U2 - 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102278

DO - 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102278

M3 - RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal

C2 - 37979475

SN - 1877-959X

VL - 15

JO - Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases

JF - Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases

IS - 1

M1 - 102278

ER -

Low prevalence of Babesia hongkongensis infection in community and privately-owned cats in Hong Kong

Abstract

Research Keywords

Publisher's Copyright Statement

Access Output

Other Access Options

Permanent Link

Other Files and Links

Fingerprint

Cite this