Trypanosoma cruzi is a zoonotic protozoan parasite transmitted by triatomines that infects a wide range of mammals. South Texas is a hotspot for triatomines, T. cruzi-infected dogs and wildlife, and local transmission to humans also occurs. However, little is known about the infection of domestic cats (Felis catus) in the United States. Given the role cats play in the ecology of T. cruzi in Mexico and South America, we hypothesized that T. cruzi infection occurs in cats from south Texas, sometimes associated with cardiac pathology. In 2017, 167 euthanized cats from a south Texas shelter were sampled across winter, spring, and summer. We collected whole blood and hearts from all cats, with additional tissues from a subset. Serum samples were screened for T. cruzi antibodies using two independent rapid immunochromatographic tests and an indirect fluorescent antibody test. Cats were considered seropositive if they were positive on at least two independent serological tests. Blood clot, heart tissue and other tissues were subjected to qPCR for parasite detection and discrete typing unit (DTU) determination. Tissues from selected seropositive or PCR-positive animals and a subset of negative animals were processed routinely for histopathology and examined by a board-certified pathologist. A total of 19 cats (11.4%) were seropositive and three cats (1.8%) - one of which was seropositive - had one or more PCR-positive tissues. Infected tissues included heart, bicep femoris muscle, sciatic nerve, esophagus, and mesentery. Genotyping of the parastite to the level of DTU showed that exclusively DTU TcI was present, despite past studies showing both TcI and TcIV in vectors of the region. Eight of 19 (42.1%) seropositive cats exhibited lymphoplasmacytic inflammation, sometimes with fibrosis, in cardiac tissue compared to 28.6% of 28 seronegative cats (P = 0.10). Domestic cats are affected hosts in the eco-epidemiology of Chagas disease. Future prospective studies are needed to understand disease progression. Veterinarians in the southern United States should consider T. cruzi in their index of suspicion in cats with exposure to vectors and undetermined cardiac abnormalities.

中文翻译：

---

在家猫（Felis catus）中，克氏锥虫感染的患病率和相关的组织学发现。

克氏锥虫是一种由三松散菌传播的人畜共患的原生动物寄生虫，可感染多种哺乳动物。南得克萨斯州是三氟精氨酸，克鲁维丝锥虫感染的狗和野生生物的热点地区，并且也向人类局部传播。但是，在美国对家猫（Felis catus）的感染知之甚少。考虑到猫在墨西哥和南美的克氏锥虫的生态中扮演的角色，我们假设克氏锥虫感染发生在德克萨斯州南部的猫中，有时与心脏病理有关。2017年，在冬季，春季和夏季对来自德克萨斯州南部庇护所的167只安乐死的猫进行了采样。我们收集了所有猫的全血和心脏，以及一个子集的其他组织。筛选血清样品中的T。使用两个独立的快速免疫色谱测试和间接荧光抗体测试进行Cruzi抗体的检测。如果猫在至少两次独立的血清学检查中呈阳性，则认为它们呈血清阳性。对血块，心脏组织和其他组织进行qPCR进行寄生虫检测和离散分型单位（DTU）测定。常规处理来自选定的血清反应阳性或PCR阳性动物以及一部分阴性动物的组织以进行组织病理学检查，并由董事会认证的病理学家进行检查。总共19只猫（11.4％）呈血清反应阳性，三只猫（1.8％）（其中一只呈血清反应阳性）具有一个或多个PCR阳性组织。感染的组织包括心脏，股二头肌，坐骨神经，食道和肠系膜。寄生虫对DTU的基因分型表明，仅存在DTU TcI，尽管过去的研究表明该区域的载体中同时存在TcI和TcIV。19只血清反应阳性猫中有8只在心脏组织中表现出淋巴浆细胞性炎症，有时伴有纤维化，而28只血清反应阴性猫中有28.6％（P = 0.10）。恰加斯病的生态流行病学家猫是宿主。需要进一步的前瞻性研究来了解疾病的进展。美国南部的兽医在接触媒介和不确定的心脏异常的猫的可疑指数中应考虑克氏锥虫。在心脏组织中的比例为28.6％（28只血清阴性猫）（P = 0.10）。恰加斯病的生态流行病学家猫是宿主。需要进一步的前瞻性研究来了解疾病的进展。美国南部的兽医在接触载体和不确定的心脏异常的猫的可疑指数中应考虑克氏锥虫。在心脏组织中的比例为28.6％（28只血清阴性猫）（P = 0.10）。恰加斯病的生态流行病学家猫是宿主。需要进一步的前瞻性研究来了解疾病的进展。美国南部的兽医在接触载体和不确定的心脏异常的猫中，应将克氏锥虫的可疑指数考虑在内。