Publicação
Seroprevalence of Leishmania spp. Infection in Cats in Portugal
| Resumo: | Leishmania infantum is endemic in Portugal, where dogs are the main reservoir and human visceral leishmaniosis remains a public health concern. Increasing evidence indicates that cats are also susceptible to infection and may contribute to local transmission, although nationwide data remain limited. This study aimed to estimate the seroprevalence of Leishmania spp. infection in cats in Portugal and to identify potential risk factors. Serum samples collected for unrelated clinical purposes and submitted to a veterinary diagnostic laboratory between December 2024 and March 2025, representing all districts of mainland Portugal and the Azores, were analyzed. Anti-Leishmania spp. antibodies were detected using the direct agglutination test, and associations with explanatory variables were evaluated through multivariable logistic regression. The overall seroprevalence was 8.9% (96/1080; 95%CI 7.3–10.7). One cat from Terceira Island (Azores) tested seropositive (1/10). Region was the only independent predictor of seropositivity, with cats from the Algarve showing higher odds of infection than those from other regions (adjusted OR 1.97; 95%CI 1.24–3.13; p = 0.004). These findings demonstrate widespread feline exposure consistent with known canine and human hotspots, and detection in the Azores suggests possible local transmission, supporting the inclusion of cats in multi-host surveillance within a One Health framework. |
|---|---|
| Autores principais: | Pereira, André |
| Outros Autores: | Mourão, Joana; Cristóvão, José Manuel; Xufre, Ângela; Maia, Carla |
| Assunto: | cats Leishmania One Health seroprevalence Microbiology Microbiology (medical) Virology SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being |
| Ano: | 2026 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | artigo |
| Tipo de acesso: | acesso aberto |
| Instituição associada: | Universidade Nova de Lisboa |
| Idioma: | inglês |
| Origem: | Repositório Institucional da UNL |
| _version_ | 1869289198252457984 |
|---|---|
| author | Pereira, André |
| author2 | Mourão, Joana Cristóvão, José Manuel Xufre, Ângela Maia, Carla |
| author2_role | author author author author |
| author_facet | Pereira, André Mourão, Joana Cristóvão, José Manuel Xufre, Ângela Maia, Carla |
| author_role | author |
| contributor_name_str_mv | Vector borne diseases and pathogens (VBD) Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM) Laboratório Associado de Translacção e Inovação para a Saúde Global - LA Real (Pólo IHMT) Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT) MDPI AG RUN |
| country_str | PT |
| creators_json_txt | [{\"Person.name\":\"Pereira, André\"},{\"Person.name\":\"Mourão, Joana\"},{\"Person.name\":\"Cristóvão, José Manuel\"},{\"Person.name\":\"Xufre, Ângela\"},{\"Person.name\":\"Maia, Carla\"}] |
| datacite.contributors.contributor.contributorName.fl_str_mv | Vector borne diseases and pathogens (VBD) Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM) Laboratório Associado de Translacção e Inovação para a Saúde Global - LA Real (Pólo IHMT) Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT) MDPI AG RUN |
| datacite.creators.creator.creatorName.fl_str_mv | Pereira, André Mourão, Joana Cristóvão, José Manuel Xufre, Ângela Maia, Carla |
| datacite.date.Accepted.fl_str_mv | 2026-03-15T00:00:00Z |
| datacite.date.available.fl_str_mv | 2026-06-22T02:46:01Z |
| datacite.date.embargoed.fl_str_mv | 2026-06-22T02:46:01Z |
| datacite.rights.fl_str_mv | http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2 |
| datacite.subjects.subject.fl_str_mv | cats Leishmania One Health seroprevalence Microbiology Microbiology (medical) Virology SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being |
| datacite.titles.title.fl_str_mv | Seroprevalence of Leishmania spp. Infection in Cats in Portugal |
| dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv | Vector borne diseases and pathogens (VBD) Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM) Laboratório Associado de Translacção e Inovação para a Saúde Global - LA Real (Pólo IHMT) Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT) MDPI AG RUN |
| dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv | Pereira, André Mourão, Joana Cristóvão, José Manuel Xufre, Ângela Maia, Carla |
| dc.date.Accepted.fl_str_mv | 2026-03-15T00:00:00Z |
| dc.date.available.fl_str_mv | 2026-06-22T02:46:01Z |
| dc.date.embargoed.fl_str_mv | 2026-06-22T02:46:01Z |
| dc.format.none.fl_str_mv | application/pdf |
| dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv | http://hdl.handle.net/10362/203957 |
| dc.language.none.fl_str_mv | eng |
| dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv | http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2 |
| dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv | cats Leishmania One Health seroprevalence Microbiology Microbiology (medical) Virology SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being |
| dc.title.fl_str_mv | Seroprevalence of Leishmania spp. Infection in Cats in Portugal |
| dc.type.none.fl_str_mv | http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501 |
| description | Leishmania infantum is endemic in Portugal, where dogs are the main reservoir and human visceral leishmaniosis remains a public health concern. Increasing evidence indicates that cats are also susceptible to infection and may contribute to local transmission, although nationwide data remain limited. This study aimed to estimate the seroprevalence of Leishmania spp. infection in cats in Portugal and to identify potential risk factors. Serum samples collected for unrelated clinical purposes and submitted to a veterinary diagnostic laboratory between December 2024 and March 2025, representing all districts of mainland Portugal and the Azores, were analyzed. Anti-Leishmania spp. antibodies were detected using the direct agglutination test, and associations with explanatory variables were evaluated through multivariable logistic regression. The overall seroprevalence was 8.9% (96/1080; 95%CI 7.3–10.7). One cat from Terceira Island (Azores) tested seropositive (1/10). Region was the only independent predictor of seropositivity, with cats from the Algarve showing higher odds of infection than those from other regions (adjusted OR 1.97; 95%CI 1.24–3.13; p = 0.004). These findings demonstrate widespread feline exposure consistent with known canine and human hotspots, and detection in the Azores suggests possible local transmission, supporting the inclusion of cats in multi-host surveillance within a One Health framework. |
| dirty | 0 |
| eu_rights_str_mv | openAccess |
| format | article |
| fulltext.url.fl_str_mv | https://run.unl.pt/bitstreams/5ff2519b-d2cc-40d9-bb4b-073286dcf786/download |
| id | run_2e4be579cd0c2fd5a5cbce4e0f457eae |
| identifier.url.fl_str_mv | http://hdl.handle.net/10362/203957 |
| inst_facet_str | urn:organizationAcronym:unl{{{_:::_}}}Universidade Nova de Lisboa |
| instacron_str | unl |
| institution | Universidade Nova de Lisboa |
| instname_str | Universidade Nova de Lisboa |
| language | eng |
| network_acronym_str | run |
| network_name_str | Repositório Institucional da UNL |
| oai_identifier_str | oai:run.unl.pt:10362/203957 |
| organization_str_mv | urn:organizationAcronym:unl |
| person_str_mv | Pereira, André Mourão, Joana Cristóvão, José Manuel Xufre, Ângela Maia, Carla |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| repo_facet_str | urn:repositoryAcronym:run{{{_:::_}}}Repositório Institucional da UNL |
| reponame_str | Repositório Institucional da UNL |
| repository_id_str | urn:repositoryAcronym:run |
| service_str_mv | urn:repositoryAcronym:run |
| spelling | engenLeishmania infantum is endemic in Portugal, where dogs are the main reservoir and human visceral leishmaniosis remains a public health concern. Increasing evidence indicates that cats are also susceptible to infection and may contribute to local transmission, although nationwide data remain limited. This study aimed to estimate the seroprevalence of Leishmania spp. infection in cats in Portugal and to identify potential risk factors. Serum samples collected for unrelated clinical purposes and submitted to a veterinary diagnostic laboratory between December 2024 and March 2025, representing all districts of mainland Portugal and the Azores, were analyzed. Anti-Leishmania spp. antibodies were detected using the direct agglutination test, and associations with explanatory variables were evaluated through multivariable logistic regression. The overall seroprevalence was 8.9% (96/1080; 95%CI 7.3–10.7). One cat from Terceira Island (Azores) tested seropositive (1/10). Region was the only independent predictor of seropositivity, with cats from the Algarve showing higher odds of infection than those from other regions (adjusted OR 1.97; 95%CI 1.24–3.13; p = 0.004). These findings demonstrate widespread feline exposure consistent with known canine and human hotspots, and detection in the Azores suggests possible local transmission, supporting the inclusion of cats in multi-host surveillance within a One Health framework.application/pdfenSeroprevalence of Leishmania spp. Infection in Cats in PortugalPereira, AndréMourão, JoanaCristóvão, José ManuelXufre, ÂngelaMaia, CarlaVector borne diseases and pathogens (VBD)Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM)Laboratório Associado de Translacção e Inovação para a Saúde Global - LA Real (Pólo IHMT)Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT)MDPI AGHostingInstitutionOrganizationalRUNe-mailmailto:run@unl.ptrun@unl.ptISSNIsPartOf2076-2607URNIsPartOfPURE: 163235022URNIsPartOfPURE UUID: 766b92ea-0d44-4e23-b7d8-43c4ba1fc255URNIsPartOfScopus: 105034510193URNIsPartOfWOS: 001725908400001URNIsPartOfPubMed: 41900427URNIsPartOfPubMedCentral: PMC13029042URNIsPartOfORCID: /0000-0002-2545-7686/work/218363777DOIIsPartOf10.3390/microorganisms140306682026-06-22T02:46:01Z2026-03-152026-03-15T00:00:00ZHandlehttp://hdl.handle.net/10362/203957http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2open accesscatsLeishmaniaOne HealthseroprevalenceMicrobiologyMicrobiology (medical)VirologySDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being2348341 bytesliteraturehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2application/pdffulltexthttps://run.unl.pt/bitstreams/5ff2519b-d2cc-40d9-bb4b-073286dcf786/download |
| spellingShingle | Seroprevalence of Leishmania spp. Infection in Cats in Portugal Pereira, André cats Leishmania One Health seroprevalence Microbiology Microbiology (medical) Virology SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being |
| status | SINGLETON |
| subject.fl_str_mv | cats Leishmania One Health seroprevalence Microbiology Microbiology (medical) Virology SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being |
| title | Seroprevalence of Leishmania spp. Infection in Cats in Portugal |
| title_full | Seroprevalence of Leishmania spp. Infection in Cats in Portugal |
| title_fullStr | Seroprevalence of Leishmania spp. Infection in Cats in Portugal |
| title_full_unstemmed | Seroprevalence of Leishmania spp. Infection in Cats in Portugal |
| title_short | Seroprevalence of Leishmania spp. Infection in Cats in Portugal |
| title_sort | Seroprevalence of Leishmania spp. Infection in Cats in Portugal |
| topic | cats Leishmania One Health seroprevalence Microbiology Microbiology (medical) Virology SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being |
| topic_facet | cats Leishmania One Health seroprevalence Microbiology Microbiology (medical) Virology SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10362/203957 |
| visible | 1 |