Banca de DEFESA: GABRIELA PEREIRA SALCA DE ALMEIDA

Uma banca de DEFESA de DOUTORADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : GABRIELA PEREIRA SALCA DE ALMEIDA
DATE: 25/02/2026
TIME: 14:00
LOCAL: Sala 14 DPA-Anexo I do IV/ http://meet.google.com/zxt-jzix-evf
TITLE:

Detection of pathogens in Felis catus (Linnaeus, 1758) and Ctenocephalides felis felis (Bouché, 1835) from samples collected in the Metropolitan Region of Rio de Janeiro

KEY WORDS:

Vector, cat flea, molecular epidemiology

PAGES: 187
BIG AREA: Ciências Agrárias
AREA: Medicina Veterinária
SUMMARY:

Vector-borne diseases (VBDs) have been a growing concern in feline medicine due to their wide geographic distribution, zoonotic potential, and association with hematological and systemic alterations. In Brazil, studies including cats as hosts and interactions with fleas as protagonists are scarce, especially those correlating findings in both species. The objective of this study was to determine the occurrence of pathogens in C. felis felis and in blood samples from infested and non-infested cats in the Metropolitan Region of Rio de Janeiro, and to relate them to clinical and hematological parameters. Blood samples from 400 cats, 664 fleas, and 14 ticks were evaluated. In the present study, molecular screening for pathogens in cat blood detected Mycoplasma spp. in 77 samples (19.3%), Bartonella spp. in 26 (6.5%), Babesia spp. and R. felis in 3 (0.75%), respectively, followed by Cytauxzoon spp. in 2 (0.5%), Ehrlichia spp. was found in 1 (0.25%), and none of the samples tested positive for Anaplasma spp. Direct examination of blood smears did not reveal structures suggestive of any of the agents sought. In the readings of the buffy coats, structures compatible with morulae and/or inclusions suggestive of the Anaplasmataceae family were observed in 36 (9%) of the slides, of which only 14 were concomitantly positive in the qPCR for any pathogen. Regarding the retroviruses analyzed, 81 (20.3%) were positive for FeLV and 14 (3.5%) for FIV, with 6 (1.5%) animals positive for both retroviruses. Flea infestation was observed in 89 cats, predominantly low-intensity infestations, with most animals presenting fewer than 20 fleas. No statistically significant association was observed between the presence of fleas or the pathogens detected and clinical, hematological, or biochemical changes. When analyzing fleas, R. felis was the most frequently detected microorganism, with a positivity rate of 68.7% (456/664), followed by Bartonella spp. 12.90% (16/124), followed by FeLV, 10.48% (13/124), Mycoplasma spp., 1.61% (2/124), and FIV, 0.81% (1/124). No sample showed detection of Babesia spp., Cytauxzoon spp., Anaplasma spp., or Ehrlichia spp. The results indicate that, although there is circulation of multiple agents in cats and vectors in the studied region, the low parasite load and the predominance of subclinical infections contribute to the absence of measurable clinical impact, highlighting the importance of integrated epidemiological surveillance in urban feline populations.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Interno - 1354903 - DOUGLAS MCINTOSH
Interna - 2929889 - THAIS RIBEIRO CORREIA AZEVEDO
Externa ao Programa - 1299153 - PATRICIA GONZAGA PAULINO - UFRRJExterna ao Programa - ***.783.337-** - TASSIA TORRES FURTADO - UFRRJ
Externa à Instituição - AGATHA FERREIRA XAVIER DE OLIVEIRA - UEM
Externa à Instituição - RENATA SANTIAGO ALBERTO CARLOS
Externa à Instituição - ALINE SANTANA DA HORA - UFU
Externo à Instituição - GEORGE REGO ALBUQUERQUE - UESC