Feline Cytauxzoonosis

Cohn LA, Birkenheuer AJ, Brunker JD, et al. Efficacy of atovaquone and azithromycin or imidocarb dipropionate in cats with acute cytauxzoonosis. J Vet Intern Med 2011;25:55-60.

Cytauxzoonosis is an acute-onset disease of cats caused by the parasite Cytauxzoon felis, which is transmitted by the bite of a tick. The disease is historically considered a fatal infection in domestic cats, though a number of cats have been known to have survived the disease. Most affected cats are young adults with exposure to the outdoors and vague clinical signs of lethargy and anorexia. The standard therapy for cytauxzoonosis has become imidocarb diproprionate. A combination of atovaquone and azithromycin (A&A) has also been suggested as a treatment.  Neither form of therapy has been prospectively evaluated for efficacy. Eighty acutely ill cats with Cytauxzoon felis infection were treated at one of 18 veterinary clinics.  Of 53 cats treated with A&A, 32 (60%) survived to discharge. Only 7 of 27 cats (26%) treated with imidocarb survived. Still, mortality remained high with approximately 40% of A&A treated cats dying in the hospital. The course of illness is swift and most cats that died did so shortly after presentation for care. The authors suggest that efforts must remain focused on prevention of disease, either through minimization of exposure to tick vectors or through development of chemoprophylaxis or vaccination. [VT]

Related articles:

Reichard MV, Baum KA, Cadenhead SC, et al. Temporal occurrence and environmental risk factors associated with cytauxzoonosis in domestic cats. Vet Parasitol 2008;152:314-320.

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Cohn LA, Birkenheuer AJ, Brunker JD, et al. Efficacy of atovaquone and azithromycin or imidocarb dipropionate in cats with acute cytauxzoonosis. J Vet Intern Med 2011;25:55-60.

Cytauxzoonosis is an acute-onset disease of cats caused by the parasite Cytauxzoon felis, which is transmitted by the bite of a tick. The disease is historically considered a fatal infection in domestic cats, though a number of cats have been known to have survived the disease. Most affected cats are young adults with exposure to the outdoors and vague clinical signs of lethargy and anorexia. The standard therapy for cytauxzoonosis has become imidocarb diproprionate. A combination of atovaquone and azithromycin (A&A) has also been suggested as a treatment.  Neither form of therapy has been prospectively evaluated for efficacy. Eighty acutely ill cats with Cytauxzoon felis infection were treated at one of 18 veterinary clinics.  Of 53 cats treated with A&A, 32 (60%) survived to discharge. Only 7 of 27 cats (26%) treated with imidocarb survived. Still, mortality remained high with approximately 40% of A&A treated cats dying in the hospital. The course of illness is swift and most cats that died did so shortly after presentation for care. The authors suggest that efforts must remain focused on prevention of disease, either through minimization of exposure to tick vectors or through development of chemoprophylaxis or vaccination. [VT]

Related articles:

Reichard MV, Baum KA, Cadenhead SC, et al. Temporal occurrence and environmental risk factors associated with cytauxzoonosis in domestic cats. Vet Parasitol 2008;152:314-320.

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library

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Pathogenicity of Feline Cytauxzoonosis

Brown, H. M., R. D. Berghaus, et al. (2009). "Genetic variability of Cytauxzoon felis from 88 infected domestic cats in Arkansas and Georgia." J Vet Diagn Invest 21(1): 59-63.

Cytauxzoonosis is a highly fatal tick-borne disease of cats, both exotic and domestic. The causative organism, Cytauxzoon felis, is a relatively new pathogen to the USA. It occurs in the south-central, southeastern, and mid-Atlantic regions. Bobcats are believed to be the natural reservoir, and when domestic cats become infected, a rapid disease course ending in death usually occurs. Recently, cases of survival have been documented in domestic cats. This may be due to different strains of the organism. To investigate this possibility, genetic analysis was done on a total of 88 C. felis isolates from cats in Arkansas and Georgia, 44 of which were from cats that survived infection. This analysis identified three unique parasite genotypes, one of which was associated with survival, referred to as genotype ITSA. Thus, there were genetic differences identified that were associated with outcome of infection.
>> PubMed Abstract

Related articles:
Brown, H. M., K. S. Latimer, et al. (2008). "Detection of persistent Cytauxzoon felis infection by polymerase chain reaction in three asymptomatic domestic cats." J Vet Diagn Invest 20(4): 485-8.
>> PubMed Abstract

Haber, M. D., M. D. Tucker, et al. (2007). "The detection of Cytauxzoon felis in apparently healthy free-roaming cats in the USA." Vet Parasitol 146(3-4): 316-20.
>> PubMed Abstract

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library

Brown, H. M., R. D. Berghaus, et al. (2009). "Genetic variability of Cytauxzoon felis from 88 infected domestic cats in Arkansas and Georgia." J Vet Diagn Invest 21(1): 59-63.

Cytauxzoonosis is a highly fatal tick-borne disease of cats, both exotic and domestic. The causative organism, Cytauxzoon felis, is a relatively new pathogen to the USA. It occurs in the south-central, southeastern, and mid-Atlantic regions. Bobcats are believed to be the natural reservoir, and when domestic cats become infected, a rapid disease course ending in death usually occurs. Recently, cases of survival have been documented in domestic cats. This may be due to different strains of the organism. To investigate this possibility, genetic analysis was done on a total of 88 C. felis isolates from cats in Arkansas and Georgia, 44 of which were from cats that survived infection. This analysis identified three unique parasite genotypes, one of which was associated with survival, referred to as genotype ITSA. Thus, there were genetic differences identified that were associated with outcome of infection.
>> PubMed Abstract

Related articles:
Brown, H. M., K. S. Latimer, et al. (2008). "Detection of persistent Cytauxzoon felis infection by polymerase chain reaction in three asymptomatic domestic cats." J Vet Diagn Invest 20(4): 485-8.
>> PubMed Abstract

Haber, M. D., M. D. Tucker, et al. (2007). "The detection of Cytauxzoon felis in apparently healthy free-roaming cats in the USA." Vet Parasitol 146(3-4): 316-20.
>> PubMed Abstract

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library

Read More

Cytauxzoonosis in Domestic Cats

Reichard, M. V., K. A. Baum, et al. (2008). "Temporal occurrence and environmental risk factors associated with cytauxzoonosis in domestic cats." Vet Parasitol 152(3-4): 314-20.

Cytauxzoonosis is caused by Cytauxzoon felis, a protozoan parasite of domestic and wild cats that is transmitted by ticks. The disease is seen in the south-central and southeastern U.S. Cytauxzoonosis is typically a severe disease in domestic cats, with fever , anorexia, anemia, and icterus. Most affected cats die within 3 weeks. This study determined the temporal occurrence and risk factors associated with C. felis infection in domestic cats in Oklahoma with a retrospective search of electronic medical records from the Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory and the Boren Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. From 1995 to 2006, a total of 232 cytauxzoonosis cases were identified and analyzed. The number of cases remained constant from year to year. Diagnosis of the disease followed a bimodal pattern, with most cases diagnosed in April-June and a smaller number in August-September. In cases where a client address was known, the majority occurred in low density residential areas. Cytauxzoonosis cases were significantly associated with more wooded cover and closer proximity to natural or unmanaged areas than control sites. More cases can be expected in domestic cats living in close proximity to environments that support both ticks and bobcats.
>> PubMed abstract

Related articles:
Haber, M. D., M. D. Tucker, et al. (2007). "The detection of Cytauxzoon felis in apparently healthy free-roaming cats in the USA." Vet Parasitol 146(3-4): 316-20.
>> PubMed abstract

Birkenheuer, A., J. Le, et al. (2006). "Cytauxzoon felis infection in cats in the mid-Atlantic states: 34 cases (1998-2004)." J Amer Vet Med Assoc 228(4): 568-571.
>> PubMed abstract

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library

Reichard, M. V., K. A. Baum, et al. (2008). "Temporal occurrence and environmental risk factors associated with cytauxzoonosis in domestic cats." Vet Parasitol 152(3-4): 314-20.

Cytauxzoonosis is caused by Cytauxzoon felis, a protozoan parasite of domestic and wild cats that is transmitted by ticks. The disease is seen in the south-central and southeastern U.S. Cytauxzoonosis is typically a severe disease in domestic cats, with fever , anorexia, anemia, and icterus. Most affected cats die within 3 weeks. This study determined the temporal occurrence and risk factors associated with C. felis infection in domestic cats in Oklahoma with a retrospective search of electronic medical records from the Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory and the Boren Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. From 1995 to 2006, a total of 232 cytauxzoonosis cases were identified and analyzed. The number of cases remained constant from year to year. Diagnosis of the disease followed a bimodal pattern, with most cases diagnosed in April-June and a smaller number in August-September. In cases where a client address was known, the majority occurred in low density residential areas. Cytauxzoonosis cases were significantly associated with more wooded cover and closer proximity to natural or unmanaged areas than control sites. More cases can be expected in domestic cats living in close proximity to environments that support both ticks and bobcats.
>> PubMed abstract

Related articles:
Haber, M. D., M. D. Tucker, et al. (2007). "The detection of Cytauxzoon felis in apparently healthy free-roaming cats in the USA." Vet Parasitol 146(3-4): 316-20.
>> PubMed abstract

Birkenheuer, A., J. Le, et al. (2006). "Cytauxzoon felis infection in cats in the mid-Atlantic states: 34 cases (1998-2004)." J Amer Vet Med Assoc 228(4): 568-571.
>> PubMed abstract

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library

Read More