Fatal infection caused by Cytauxzoon felis in a captive-reared jaguar (Panthera onca)

Abstract

Fatal infections with Cytauxzoon felis are common in domestic cats, and jaguars ( Panthera onca ) are believed carriers of this protozoan. Fatal C. felis infections have never been described in jaguars before. Thus, this study describes such an infection in a 5-month-old captive-reared jaguar that presented hyporexia and died at 26 days after the first clinical signs. During necropsy, samples were taken from several tissues, some were fixed in 10% formalin and process for histopathological diagnosis, and some samples were used for DNA extraction, amplification via PCR and sequencing of the potential pathogens. Grossly, marked splenomegaly and icterus were observed. Histologically, numerous structures that are morphologically compatible with Cytauxzoon spp. schizonts obliterated multiple blood vessels in the brain, leptomeninges, spinal cord, lungs, heart, skeletal muscle, adrenal gland, kidneys, spleen, small intestine and pancreas. C. felis was identified by PCR in many organs. Thus, C. felis infection in jaguars can be fatal, and the clinicopathological findings are similar to those of cytauxzoonosis in other wild and domestic felid species.

Molecular Detection of Tick-Borne Agents in Cats from Southeastern and Northern Brazil

“…Neotropical wild felids likely play a role as reservoirs for Cytauxzoon in Brazil [33,34], probably presenting short and self-limiting schizogony as previously observed in bobcats (Lynx rufus), which act as reservoirs for C. felis in the USA [9]. As far as authors are concerned, fatal cytauxzoonosis has not been reported in domestic cats in Brazil, despite reports of fatal cytauxzoonosis in lions (Panthera leo) [35] and jaguars (Panthera onca) [36] in the country. Actually, despite the detection of piroplasms in cats' erythrocytes [20,37], schizonts have not been detected in domestic cats from Brazil so far.…”