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Leptospirosis, a globally re-emerging zoonosis caused by pathogenic Leptospira spp., poses a significant threat to public health. Leptospirosis in cats is often neglected due to its high underdiagnosis. Therefore, the role of cats in disease transmission and bacterial maintenance in the environment remains unclear. For this study, 54 serum samples, 54 urine samples and 27 EDTA-anticoagulated blood samples from pet cats presenting to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital due to health problems were used. The serum samples were tested for antibodies against 12 pathogenic serovars of Leptospira spp. using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT). EDTA-anticoagulated blood and urine samples were tested for the lipL32 gene of pathogenic Leptospira spp. by conventional (PCR) and real-time (qPCR) polymerase chain reaction. Agglutinating antibodies were detected in 18.52% (10/54) of the sera with a titre range of 1:50 to 1:12800. The most common serogroup was Pomona, followed by Sejroe, Icterohaemorrhagiae, Australis and Javanica. Leptospira spp. DNA was found in 1.85% (1/54) of the urine samples, while all EDTA-anticoagulated blood samples were negative. A statistically significant difference in seropositivity regarding lifestyle was found between outdoor/indoor and indoor-only cats, while the presence of another cat in the household significantly increased the likelihood of seropositivity. Cats with immunocompromising conditions showed a significantly increased risk of seropositivity, especially those undergoing immunosuppressive treatment. In addition, respiratory signs and changes in lung structure associated with the presence of leptospiral antibodies, and these cats were more likely to be infected with the Pomona serogroup. Moreover, cats with anaemia, leucocytosis, and thrombocytopenia were significantly more likely to have antibodies against Leptospira spp., while seropositive cats had significantly lower urine-specific gravity compared to seronegative cats. The results underline the importance of raising awareness of feline leptospirosis in veterinary care and recognising pet cats as potential carriers of leptospires. Further research is needed to clarify the specific role of the Pomona serogroup as a potentially highly evolutionary drifting serogroup in terms of pathogenicity and to clarify the zoonotic potential of infected cats, which is crucial for the implementation of effective public health measures and veterinary interventions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Taenia crassiceps is a zoonotic tapeworm of the genus Taenia that is distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Wild and domestic carnivores are final hosts, while rodents and rabbits are primarily intermediate hosts, although many other mammals may harbour the larval stage, Cysticercus longicollis . This case report aims to describe C. longicollis infection in a lemur and molecularly characterise the isolated parasite. The excised lesion was subjected to morphological and histopathological examination, which revealed cysticerci of the tapeworm. Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded block (FFPEB), as well as the cysticerci fixed with formalin stored for one year, were subjected to molecular analysis, which aimed at detecting the partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene of Taenia sp. Based on the morphological characteristics, the parasite was identified as a metacestode of T. crassiceps . The presence of the cox1 gene was detected using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in all samples. A randomly selected PCR product was sequenced and compared with other sequences from the GenBank database, confirming that the detected parasite was T. crassiceps. This article reports the first case of T. crassiceps cysticercosis in a lemur ( Lemur catta ) in Croatia and emphasises the potential risk of transmission from wild carnivores.

This study was performed on 29 domestic cats with a variety of clinical signs, possibly related to FIV infection. Blood samples were tested by a rapid immunochromatographic (ICA) procedure for detection of FIV antibodies. Subsequently, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to amplify a portion of the proviral gag gene. All 11 positive PCR products were sequenced and compared with previously reported FIV sequences. Croatian proviral isolates that could be amplified were clustered within subtype B, and additional heterogeneity was confirmed by the formation of three separate clusters. Phylogenetic analysis of circulating strains in Croatia and in southeast Europe is necessary to improve diagnostic methods and selection of the appropriate vaccinal strains.