Identification of Cytauxzoon felis infection in domestic cats from southern Illinois

Objectives: The objective of this study was to document Cytauxzoon felis infection in domestic cats from southern Illinois. Methods: Diagnosis of cytauxzoonosis was based upon clinical signs of illness and detection of piroplasms within erythrocytes on peripheral blood smears or schizonts in internal organs consistent with Cytauxzoon infection. Additionally, genomic DNA was extracted from histologic sections of splenic tissue from two cats. Results: The internal transcribed spacer region-1 (ITS-1) and ITS-2 of the C felis genome were successfully sequenced, confirming infection with the organism. Conclusions and relevance: Sequence analysis of C felis DNA isolated from histologic lesions in two domestic cats from southern Illinois show either mixed infection or possible heterozygosity (cytosine and thymine) in ITS-2 at the position equivalent to nucleotide 76 (thymine) in the most commonly isolated C felis ITS-2 sequence. Identification of C felis infection in domestic cats from southern Illinois is a critical finding that raises awareness of this often fatal disease process in an area of the USA where, previously, the disease was only anecdotally reported.