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Pathogens
Special Issues
Canine and Feline Infectious Diseases
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Canine and Feline Infectious Diseases

A special issue of Pathogens (ISSN 2076-0817).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2022) | Viewed by 26087

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Eva Spada

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of Milan, 26900 Lodi, Italy
Interests: veterinary transfusion medicine; blood types; feline internal medicine; infectious diseases; epidemiology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Daniela Proverbio

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of Milan, 26900 Lodi, Italy
Interests: veterinary transfusion medicine; blood types; canine internal medicine; veterinary dermatology; infectious diseases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Stray dogs and cats often have regular interactions with pets and with synanthropic wildlife. Therefore, their risk of exposure to infectious disease and the mechanisms by which pathogens are transmitted can impact the health of pets, wild animals, and human populations, as some of these infectious diseases are zoonoses.

Climatic, demographic, environmental, and social changes all impact the occurrence of infectious diseases in companion animals. There is a global increase in the spread of many viral, bacterial, and protozoal infectious diseases, with some new emerging diseases and others characterized by recent new outbreaks, which have significance for companion animal welfare. Many of these infections are zoonotic, and from a One Health prospective, veterinarians need to understand the spread and control of any canine and feline infectious diseases that could be transmitted to humans.

This Special Issue aims to cover the broad spectrum of research on canine and feline infectious diseases. We therefore invite the submission of research covering any aspect of pathogen infections in canine and feline medicine. We hope to bring together a body of work with the aim of improving the welfare of dogs and cats and to produce new data on spread, clinicopathological changes, and potential harm for human populations from canine and feline infectious diseases. For this specific research call, original or review papers on all aspects of canine and feline infectious diseases are welcome, as well as news and updates on etiology, epidemiology, clinicopathological signs and the pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment, immunity, prevention, and public health implications of canine and feline infectious disease.
We look forward to your valuable contributions that will promote further developments in this field.

We thank you for your collaboration.

Prof. Dr. Eva Spada
Prof. Dr. Daniela Proverbio
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pathogens is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • canine
  • feline
  • infectious diseases
  • viral
  • bacterial
  • protozoal
  • vector-borne infections
  • epidemiology
  • treatment
  • zoonosis
  • co-infection
  • immunology
  • diagnostic test
  • zoonosis

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 944 KiB  
Article
Molecular Detection of Feline Coronavirus Based on Recombinase Polymerase Amplification Assay
by Rea Maja Kobialka, Arianna Ceruti, Michelle Bergmann, Katrin Hartmann, Uwe Truyen and Ahmed Abd El Wahed
Pathogens 2021, 10(10), 1237; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pathogens10101237 - 25 Sep 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2892
Abstract
Feline coronavirus (FCoV) is endemic in cat populations worldwide. Persistently, subclinically infected cats play a significant role in spreading the infection. Testing fecal samples of cats may facilitate efforts to decrease the viral burden within a population. Real-time RT-PCR is highly sensitive and [...] Read more.
Feline coronavirus (FCoV) is endemic in cat populations worldwide. Persistently, subclinically infected cats play a significant role in spreading the infection. Testing fecal samples of cats may facilitate efforts to decrease the viral burden within a population. Real-time RT-PCR is highly sensitive and specific for the detection of FCoV but must be performed in a fully equipped laboratory. A simple and accurate assay is needed to identify FCoV at the point-of-need. The aim of this study was to develop a rapid FCoV detection assay based on isothermal amplification technology, i.e., reverse transcription-recombinase polymerase amplification (RT-RPA). Primers were designed to target the highly conserved 3′ untranslated region of the 7b gene. Running on a constant temperature of 42 °C, reverse transcription as well as DNA amplification and detection was achieved in a maximum of 15 min. A probit analysis revealed a detection limit of 58.5 RNA copies/reaction. For cross-detection, nucleic acids from 19 viruses were tested. Both RT-RPA and real-time RT-PCR showed cross-detection with canine coronavirus and transmissible gastroenteritis virus, but not with other pathogens. To evaluate clinical performance, RNA was extracted from 39 fecal samples from cats. All samples were tested simultaneously with real-time RT-PCR resulting in a RT-RPA sensitivity and specificity of 90.9% and 100%, respectively. RT-RPA can be considered a promising simple method for rapid detection of FCoV. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Canine and Feline Infectious Diseases)
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13 pages, 2881 KiB  
Article
Risk and Environmental Factors Associated with the Presence of Canine Parvovirus Type 2 in Diarrheic Dogs from Thessaly, Central Greece
by Maria Kantere, Labrini V. Athanasiou, Alexios Giannakopoulos, Vassilis Skampardonis, Marina Sofia, George Valiakos, Zoi Athanasakopoulou, Antonia Touloudi, Dimitris C. Chatzopoulos, Vassiliki Spyrou and Charalambos Billinis
Pathogens 2021, 10(5), 590; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pathogens10050590 - 12 May 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3315
Abstract
Canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) primarily infects dogs, which are the main host reservoir, causing severe gastrointestinal disease associated with immunosuppression. The present study was conducted in Thessaly, Greece and aimed to identify risk and environmental factors associated with CPV-2 infection in diarrheic [...] Read more.
Canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) primarily infects dogs, which are the main host reservoir, causing severe gastrointestinal disease associated with immunosuppression. The present study was conducted in Thessaly, Greece and aimed to identify risk and environmental factors associated with CPV-2 infection in diarrheic dogs. Fecal samples were collected from 116 dogs presenting diarrhea and were tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of CPV-2 DNA. Supplementary data regarding clinical symptoms, individual features, management factors and medical history were also gathered for each animal during clinical evaluation. Sixty-eight diarrheic dogs were found to be positive for the virus DNA in their feces. Statistical analysis revealed that CPV-2 DNA was less likely to be detected in senior dogs, while working dogs, namely hounds and shepherds, had higher odds to be positive for the virus. Livestock density and land uses, specifically the categories of discontinuous urban fabric and of human population density, were identified as significant environmental parameters associated with CPV-2 infection by using Geographical Information System (GIS) together with the Ecological Niche Model (ENM). This is the first description of the environmental variables associated with the presence of CPV-2 DNA in dogs’ feces in Greece. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Canine and Feline Infectious Diseases)
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12 pages, 1642 KiB  
Article
In Vitro Effects of Doxycycline on Replication of Feline Coronavirus
by Magdalena Dunowska and Sayani Ghosh
Pathogens 2021, 10(3), 312; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pathogens10030312 - 07 Mar 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2653
Abstract
Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a sporadic fatal disease of cats caused by a virulent variant of feline coronavirus (FCoV), referred to as FIP virus (FIPV). Treatment options are limited, and most of the affected cats die or are euthanized. Anecdotally, doxycycline has [...] Read more.
Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a sporadic fatal disease of cats caused by a virulent variant of feline coronavirus (FCoV), referred to as FIP virus (FIPV). Treatment options are limited, and most of the affected cats die or are euthanized. Anecdotally, doxycycline has been used to treat FIP-affected cats, but there are currently no data to support or discourage such treatment. The aim of this study was to establish whether doxycycline inhibits replication of FIPV in vitro. The virus was cultured in Crandell-Rees feline kidney cells with various concentrations of doxycycline (0 to 50 µg/mL). The level of FIPV in cultures was determined by virus titration and FCoV-specific reverse-transcription quantitative PCR. Cell viability was also monitored. There was no difference in the level of infectious virus or viral RNA between doxycycline-treated and untreated cultures at 3, 12- and 18-hours post-infection. However, at 24 h, the growth of FIPV was inhibited by approximately two logs in cultures with >10 µg/mL doxycycline. This inhibition was dose-dependent, with inhibitory concentration 50% (IC50) 4.1 µg/mL and IC90 5.4 µg/mL. Our data suggest that doxycycline has some inhibitory effect on FIPV replication in vitro, which supports future clinical trials of its use for the treatment of FIP-affected cats. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Canine and Feline Infectious Diseases)
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12 pages, 2046 KiB  
Communication
Characterization of Cutaneous Bacterial Microbiota from Superficial Pyoderma Forms in Atopic Dogs
by Caitlin E. Older, Aline Rodrigues Hoffmann, Kathleen Hoover and Frane Banovic
Pathogens 2020, 9(8), 638; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pathogens9080638 - 06 Aug 2020
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 8625
Abstract
Although Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is considered the major pathogen associated with superficial canine pyoderma, no study has investigated the entire bacterial community in these lesions with molecular techniques. The objectives of this study were to characterize the bacterial microbiota in two forms of superficial [...] Read more.
Although Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is considered the major pathogen associated with superficial canine pyoderma, no study has investigated the entire bacterial community in these lesions with molecular techniques. The objectives of this study were to characterize the bacterial microbiota in two forms of superficial canine pyoderma lesions, superficial bacterial folliculitis (SBF) and epidermal collarette (EC), especially in terms of the staphylococcal community. Swabs from 12 SBF and 9 EC lesions were obtained from eight and six atopic dogs, respectively. Eight samples from the axilla and groin of four healthy dogs served as controls. DNA was extracted for 16S rRNA gene sequencing and quantitative polymerase chain reaction of Staphylococcus spp. and S. pseudintermedius. Healthy skin samples harbored significantly more diverse bacterial communities than pyoderma samples. Healthy samples had communities that were more similar to each other, and were distinct from pyoderma samples. Staphylococcus spp. abundance was increased in pyoderma samples, especially those from EC samples. Although determining species-level identities of staphylococcal sequences revealed many species, S. pseudintermedius was the primary staphylococcal species found in all sample types. As expected, there are many differences in the microbiota when comparing healthy and canine pyoderma lesions samples. These lesions do not seem to be associated with a change in the relative abundance of specific Staphylococcus species, but simply an overall increase in Staphylococcus spp. abundance. The results of this study provide a starting point for future studies investigating how antimicrobial treatments may further change the microbiota associated with these lesions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Canine and Feline Infectious Diseases)
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9 pages, 1186 KiB  
Article
Serologic and Molecular Diagnosis of Anaplasma platys and Ehrlichia canis Infection in Dogs in an Endemic Region
by Bianca Lara, Anne Conan, Mary Anna Thrall, Jennifer K. Ketzis, Gillian Carmichael Branford and Sreekumari Rajeev
Pathogens 2020, 9(6), 488; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pathogens9060488 - 19 Jun 2020
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3770
Abstract
Anaplasma platys and Ehrlichia canis are obligate intracellular, tick-borne rickettsial pathogens of dogs that may cause life-threatening diseases. In this study, we assessed the usefulness of PCR and a widely used commercial antibody-based point-of-care (POC) test to diagnose A. platys and E. canis [...] Read more.
Anaplasma platys and Ehrlichia canis are obligate intracellular, tick-borne rickettsial pathogens of dogs that may cause life-threatening diseases. In this study, we assessed the usefulness of PCR and a widely used commercial antibody-based point-of-care (POC) test to diagnose A. platys and E. canis infection and updated the prevalence of these pathogens in dogs inhabiting the Caribbean island of Saint Kitts. We detected A. platys in 62/227 (27%), E. canis in 84/227 (37%), and the presence of both in 43/227 (19%) of the dogs using PCR. POC testing was positive for A. platys in 53/187 (28%), E. canis in 112/187 (60%), and for both in 42/187 (22%) of the samples tested. There was only a slight agreement between A. platys PCR and POC test results and a fair agreement for E. canis PCR and POC test results. Our study suggests that PCR testing may be particularly useful in the early stage of infection when antibody levels are low or undetectable, whereas, POC test is useful when false-negative PCR results occur due to low bacteremia. A combination of PCR and POC tests may increase the ability to diagnose A. platys and E. canis infection and consequently will improve patient management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Canine and Feline Infectious Diseases)
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14 pages, 2831 KiB  
Article
ZnO Nanoflower-Based NanoPCR as an Efficient Diagnostic Tool for Quick Diagnosis of Canine Vector-Borne Pathogens
by Archana Upadhyay, Huan Yang, Bilal Zaman, Lei Zhang, Yundi Wu, Jinhua Wang, Jianguo Zhao, Chenghong Liao and Qian Han
Pathogens 2020, 9(2), 122; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pathogens9020122 - 14 Feb 2020
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3163
Abstract
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a unique technique in molecular biology and biotechnology for amplifying target DNA strands, and is also considered as a gold standard for the diagnosis of many canine diseases as well as many other infectious diseases. However, PCR still [...] Read more.
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a unique technique in molecular biology and biotechnology for amplifying target DNA strands, and is also considered as a gold standard for the diagnosis of many canine diseases as well as many other infectious diseases. However, PCR still faces many challenges and issues related to its sensitivity, specificity, efficiency, and turnaround time. To address these issues, we described the use of unique ZnO nanoflowers in PCR reaction and an efficient ZnO nanoflower-based PCR (nanoPCR) for the molecular diagnosis of canine vector-borne diseases (CVBDs). A total of 1 mM of an aqueous solution of ZnO nanoflowers incorporated in PCR showed a significant enhancement of the PCR assay with respect to its sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of two important CVBDs, Babesia canis vogeli and Hepatozoon canis. Interestingly, it drastically reduced the turnaround time of the PCR assay without compromising the yield of the amplified DNA, which can be of benefit for veterinary practitioners for the improved management of diseases. This can be attributed to the favorable adsorption of ZnO nanoflowers to the DNA and thermal conductivity of ZnO nanoflowers. The unique ZnO nanoflower-assisted nanoPCR greatly improved the yield, purity, and quality of the amplified products, but the mechanism behind these properties and the effects and changes due to the different concentrations of ZnO nanoflowers in the PCR system needs to be further studied. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Canine and Feline Infectious Diseases)
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