A molecular survey of feline vector-borne hemopathogens in the Hatay Province of Türkiye
TL;DR
The findings underscore the value of molecular screening alongside microscopy for feline VBPs, and highlight the need for continued, region-wide surveillance, integrating vector data and longitudinal sampling, to refine risk assessments at the human–animal–vector interface.
Abstract
Cats can act as reservoirs of causative agents of vector-borne diseases and may facilitate spillover of these zoonotic pathogens to humans. Understanding the burden of vector-borne pathogens (VBPs) in cats in Hatay, a border province in Türkiye’s eastern Mediterranean region, is essential for One Health–oriented surveillance. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence of selected vector-borne pathogens, including Bartonella henselae, Borrelia burgdorferi, Cytauxozoon felis, Hepatozoon felis, and hemotropic mycoplasmas (Mycoplasma spp.), in 200 cats of various breeds from Hatay Province, Türkiye, by means of a cross-sectional survey combining light-microscopic examination of peripheral blood smears with PCR assays. Amplicons from hemoplasma-positive samples were sequenced for species identification. Associations between hemoplasma positivity and host factors were assessed, including breed, age category, sex, and ownership status. Hemoplasma-compatible organisms were identified by microscopy in 5 of 200 cats (2.5%) and confirmed by PCR in all five. In total, PCR detected Mycoplasma spp. DNA in 8/200 (4.0%), yielding three additional PCR-only positive samples. All the sequenced hemoplasma amplicons were consistent with Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum (CMhm). No samples were positive for B. henselae, B. burgdorferi, C. felis, or H. felis by either microscopy or PCR. The molecular prevalence of CMhm showed no statistically significant association with breed, age group, sex, or ownership status (P>0.05). CMhm circulates at a low, yet detectable level among cats in Hatay, whereas the other pathogens investigated were not detected in this sample set. These findings underscore the value of molecular screening alongside microscopy for feline VBPs, and highlight the need for continued, region-wide surveillance, integrating vector data and longitudinal sampling, to refine risk assessments at the human–animal–vector interface.