Hemoparasites in domestic cats from Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil: positivity and epidemiological factors

Hemoparasitosis in cats (Felis catus) is caused by protozoan and bacterial agents, primarily transmitted by fleas or ticks. This study was performed to evaluate the presence of hemoparasites in domestic cats from the urban region of Uberlândia (Minas Gerais State, Brazil) and associate positivity w...

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Main Authors: Douglas Alves Pereira, Marco Miguel de Oliveira, Juliana Silva Miranda, Márcia Cristina Cury, Nathalia de Assis Pereira, Daniel Moura de Aguiar
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidade Federal de Goiás 2025-04-01
Series:Ciência Animal Brasileira
Online Access:https://revistas.ufg.br/vet/article/view/79859
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author Douglas Alves Pereira
Marco Miguel de Oliveira
Juliana Silva Miranda
Márcia Cristina Cury
Nathalia de Assis Pereira
Daniel Moura de Aguiar
author_facet Douglas Alves Pereira
Marco Miguel de Oliveira
Juliana Silva Miranda
Márcia Cristina Cury
Nathalia de Assis Pereira
Daniel Moura de Aguiar
author_sort Douglas Alves Pereira
collection DOAJ
description Hemoparasitosis in cats (Felis catus) is caused by protozoan and bacterial agents, primarily transmitted by fleas or ticks. This study was performed to evaluate the presence of hemoparasites in domestic cats from the urban region of Uberlândia (Minas Gerais State, Brazil) and associate positivity with epidemiological variables. Blood samples and data were collected from 300 cats. Blood was obtained from the ear tip, and two blood smears were prepared for each animal. Information on sex, breed, age, origin, habitat, access to external environments, presence of ectoparasites, diet, and region of origin was also gathered. In the blood smears, the positivity rates were 3.66% for Babesia spp., 5.33% for Ehrlichia spp., and 1.33% for Mycoplasma spp. Concomitant infections were observed between Babesia spp. and Ehrlichia spp. (0.66%) and Babesia spp. and Mycoplasma spp. (0.33%). Habitat, access to external environments, and region of origin were identified as significant factors for the occurrence of hemoparasitosis. Although most sampled cats lived in houses (66.66%), the majority had free access to outdoor areas (81.00%), increasing their exposure to ectoparasites and, consequently, hemoparasites. Among the city’s regions, the highest positivity rate (3.33%) was observed in the east, potentially linked to the lower likelihood of guardians in this area keeping their cats strictly indoors, likely influenced by socioeconomic and cultural factors.  
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spelling doaj-art-3df8fd7af0324129a6dafcf435667be62025-08-20T03:05:22ZengUniversidade Federal de GoiásCiência Animal Brasileira1518-27971809-68912025-04-0126Hemoparasites in domestic cats from Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil: positivity and epidemiological factorsDouglas Alves Pereira0Marco Miguel de Oliveira1Juliana Silva Miranda2Márcia Cristina Cury3Nathalia de Assis Pereira4Daniel Moura de Aguiar5Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, BrasilUniversidade do Estado de Minas Gerais (UEMG), Ituiutaba, Minas Gerais, BrasilUniversidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, BrasilUniversidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, BrasilUniversidade Federal de Mato Grosso (UFMT), Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, BrasilUniversidade Federal de Mato Grosso (UFMT), Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brasil Hemoparasitosis in cats (Felis catus) is caused by protozoan and bacterial agents, primarily transmitted by fleas or ticks. This study was performed to evaluate the presence of hemoparasites in domestic cats from the urban region of Uberlândia (Minas Gerais State, Brazil) and associate positivity with epidemiological variables. Blood samples and data were collected from 300 cats. Blood was obtained from the ear tip, and two blood smears were prepared for each animal. Information on sex, breed, age, origin, habitat, access to external environments, presence of ectoparasites, diet, and region of origin was also gathered. In the blood smears, the positivity rates were 3.66% for Babesia spp., 5.33% for Ehrlichia spp., and 1.33% for Mycoplasma spp. Concomitant infections were observed between Babesia spp. and Ehrlichia spp. (0.66%) and Babesia spp. and Mycoplasma spp. (0.33%). Habitat, access to external environments, and region of origin were identified as significant factors for the occurrence of hemoparasitosis. Although most sampled cats lived in houses (66.66%), the majority had free access to outdoor areas (81.00%), increasing their exposure to ectoparasites and, consequently, hemoparasites. Among the city’s regions, the highest positivity rate (3.33%) was observed in the east, potentially linked to the lower likelihood of guardians in this area keeping their cats strictly indoors, likely influenced by socioeconomic and cultural factors.   https://revistas.ufg.br/vet/article/view/79859
spellingShingle Douglas Alves Pereira
Marco Miguel de Oliveira
Juliana Silva Miranda
Márcia Cristina Cury
Nathalia de Assis Pereira
Daniel Moura de Aguiar
Hemoparasites in domestic cats from Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil: positivity and epidemiological factors
Ciência Animal Brasileira
title Hemoparasites in domestic cats from Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil: positivity and epidemiological factors
title_full Hemoparasites in domestic cats from Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil: positivity and epidemiological factors
title_fullStr Hemoparasites in domestic cats from Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil: positivity and epidemiological factors
title_full_unstemmed Hemoparasites in domestic cats from Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil: positivity and epidemiological factors
title_short Hemoparasites in domestic cats from Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil: positivity and epidemiological factors
title_sort hemoparasites in domestic cats from uberlandia minas gerais brazil positivity and epidemiological factors
url https://revistas.ufg.br/vet/article/view/79859
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