AbstractBackground:Domestic cats have been implicated as accidental hosts ofLeishmaniasp. However, in recent years, the recurrent
description of new cases in endemic and nonendemic areas draw attention to
the potential epidemiological role of cats as reservoir hosts. Although dogs
are considered urban reservoirs, cats could act as a secondary natural
reservoirs in these areas. Thus, feline leishmaniasis has become an emerging
disease in several countries worldwide.Case presentation:This study aimed to describe the first case of feline leishmaniasis in a
stray animal that presented lesions compatible with the disease in Belém,
Pará, Brazil, an important urban area in eastern Amazon. Serological tests
forLeishmania infantum(ELISA and IFA) were nonreactive,
whereas histopathological examination indicated infectious dermatitis caused
byLeishmaniaspp. orToxoplasma gondii.
Cytopathological study of lesion aspirate confirmed the presence ofLeishmaniasp. amastigotes within macrophages. Finally,
molecular analyses revealed that the feline infection was caused byLeishmania(Leishmania)infantum chagasi.Conclusion:To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study reports the first case of
natural infection byLeishmania(Leishmania)infantum chagasiin a
feline from eastern Amazon. These findings suggest domestic cats as
potential secondary reservoir hosts ofLeishmaniaspp. in
Belém, which reinforces the importance of further epidemiological
investigation of feline leishmaniasis, especially in urban areas with human
cases.