Epidemiology
Hepatozoon spp. DNA was detected in 58 out of 1357 blood samples from cats in Germany and other European countries, indicating a prevalence of 4.3% (95%-CI: 3.3-5.5%) [PMID:41391424].
Younger cats exhibited a significantly higher infection risk (p = 0.026) compared to older cats [PMID:41391424].
Among the positive cases, 31 had a known import origin primarily from Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries, suggesting a link between travel history and infection risk [PMID:41391424].
Clinical Presentation
A 3-year-old male cat exhibited painful periostitis of long bones, poor body condition, and leukocytosis characterized by marked neutrophilia, indicating these as clinical signs of H. felis infection [PMID:42034962].
Diagnosis
The infection was confirmed by identifying Hepatozoon gamonts within neutrophils and through PCR and sequencing of the 18S rRNA gene [PMID:42034962].
Management
The cat achieved complete clinical recovery and PCR negativity following treatment with imidocarb, doxycycline, and toltrazuril [PMID:42034962].
References
1 Petrucelli JV, Borrás P, Jiménez Y, Samaniego G, Ruybal P, Hodžić A. The first clinical case of Hepatozoon felis infection in a cat from Panama. Veterinary parasitology, regional studies and reports 2026. link 2 Geisen V, Pantchev N, Zablotski Y, Globokar Vrhovec M, Hartmann K, Bergmann M et al.. Molecular characterization of Hepatozoon spp. in cats living in Germany and other European countries. Ticks and tick-borne diseases 2026. link
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