The First Report of Hepatozoon Species Infection in Leopard Cats (Prionailurus bengalensis) in Korea

Abstract

Hepatozoon species infections were detected in 4 of 5 heart samples from leopard cats (Prionailurus bengalensis) in Korea examined by light microscopy and PCR. Microscopically, the schizonts of the Hepatozoon species were observed within the parasitophorous vacuoles of unidentified host cells that were located between myocytes. The schizonts were approximately 31 +/- 4 x 19 +/- 3 microm in size; 3 mature schizonts contained approximately 24, 25, and 35 merozoites. In analyses of the partial 18S rRNA gene sequence, the Hepatozoon species infecting the Korean leopard cats was closely related to Brazilian (99.2-99.8% identical) and Spanish (97.0-98.2% identical) isolates of Hepatozoon felis.

Hepatozoon silvestris sp. nov.: morphological and molecular characterization of a new species of Hepatozoon (Adeleorina: Hepatozoidae) from the European wild cat (Felis silvestris silvestris)

“…reported from the Iriomote cat, leopard cat ( P. bengalensis ) and domestic cat which were 22·3 ± 3·1  µ m × 15·3 ± 2·2  µ m (Kubo et al 2006) and 22 ± 4·8  µ m in length (Klopfer et al 1973), respectively, and similar in size to the meronts observed in the myocardium of the leopard cat (31 ± 4  µ m × 19 ± 3  µ m, Kubo et al 2010) and lion ( Panthera leo ) (30  ×  23  µ m in length, Averbeck et al 1990). The differences in the sizes of meronts between the studies may be due to different fixation procedures used for specimens preparation, errors in measurement or even affiliation to different species or strains of Hepatozoon as already suggested (Baneth and Shkap, 2003; Kubo et al 2010). Histopathology revealed the presence of two types of developing meronts in wild cats infected with H. silvestris sp.…”

“…Predilection to muscle tissue has also been reported in domestic and wild cats infected with H. felis (Klopfer et al 1973; Averbeck et al 1990; Beaufils et al . 1998; Kubo et al 2006, 2010; Baneth et al 2013) and dogs and wildlife infected with Hepatozoon americanum (Vincent-Johnson et al 1997). This is substantially different from H. canis where infection is associated with the occurrence of meronts in haemolymphoid tissues (e.g.…”

“…Since then, Hepatozoon spp. have been reported in domestic cats and various species of wild cats, and it is assumed that two or more species could be found in felids worldwide (Criado-Fornelio et al 2006; Kubo et al 2010; Pawar et al 2012; Baneth et al 2013; Tateno et al 2013). However, the parasite in cats was also referred to as Hepatozoon -like or Hepatozoon spp., without committing to a certain species, as the studies which described it were based only on morphological or genetic descriptions (Klopfer et al 1973; Baneth et al 1998; Perez et al 2004; Rubini et al 2006; Metzger et al 2008; Ortuño et al 2008; Salakij et al 2008).…”

A Case of Iriomote Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis iriomotensis) with Hepatozoon felis Parasitemia

“…infection in January 2010 even though the parasitemia had not been detected in addition to the December 2010 and January 2011 captures. Furthermore, genotypic analysis of the partial 18S ribosomal RNA gene revealed 98 to 99% identity to those of H. felis isolates in leopard cats in Korea (GenBank accession numbers GQ377216-GQ377218) [15]. No information is currently available for Japanese isolates of H. felis.…”

“…This finding suggests that the "Far East genotype" of H. felis is spreading in this area. However, Korean leopard cats already possess a non-"Far East genotype" of H. felis [15]. The Iriomote cat was estimated to have diverged from the continental leopard cat approximately 200,000 to 100,000 years ago, based on DNA analysis results [17].…”