Abstract Context. Cats are the definitive or primary host for pathogens that cause diseases in people and livestock. These cat-dependent diseases would not occur in Australia if cats had not been introduced, and their ongoing persistence depends on contacts with cats. Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that cycles between cats and any other warm-blooded animals. People infected by T. gondii may appear asymptomatic, or have a mild illness, or experience severe, potentially lethal symptoms; the parasite may also affect behaviour and mental health. T. gondii is also a major contributor to spontaneous abortion in sheep and goats. Two species of Sarcocystis, another genus of protozoan parasite, cycle through cats and sheep, causing macroscopic cysts to form in sheep tissues that reduce meat saleability. Toxocara cati, the cat roundworm, causes minor illnesses in humans and livestock, and the bacterium Bartonella henselae causes cat scratch disease, an infection that can be contracted by people when scratched or bitten by cats carrying the pathogen. Aims. We estimated the economic costs of cat-dependent pathogens in Australia. Methods. We collated national and global data on infection rates, health and production consequences. Key results. We estimated the costs of two cat-dependent diseases (toxoplasmosis, cat scratch disease) in people at AU$6.06 billion (plausible range AU$2.11–10.7 billion) annually, and the costs to livestock production from toxoplasmosis and sarcocystosis at AU$11.7 million (plausible range AU$7.67–18.3 million). Most of the human health costs are due to the associations between T. gondii and higher rates of traffic accidents and mental illness in people. The causality behind these associations remains uncertain, so those costs may be overestimated. Conversely, our estimates are incomplete, infections and illness are under-reported or misdiagnosed, and our understanding of disease outcomes is still imperfect, all of which make our costs underestimated. Conclusions. Our analysis suggests that substantial benefits to public health and livestock production could be realised by reducing exposure to cats and breaking parasite transmission cycles. Implications. Reducing feral cat populations in farming and urban areas, reducing the pet cat population and increasing rates of pet cat containment could help reduce the burden of cat-dependent diseases to people and livestock.

中文翻译：

---

猫依赖疾病对人类健康和牲畜生产的影响每年给澳大利亚造成 60 亿澳元的损失

摘要上下文。猫是导致人和牲畜疾病的病原体的最终或主要宿主。如果没有引入猫，这些猫依赖的疾病不会在澳大利亚发生，它们的持续存在取决于与猫的接触。弓形虫是一种原生动物寄生虫，在猫和任何其他温血动物之间循环。感染弓形虫的人可能无症状，或病情较轻，或出现严重的、可能致命的症状；寄生虫也可能影响行为和心理健康。刚地弓形虫也是绵羊和山羊自然流产的主要因素。两种肉孢子虫（另一种原生动物寄生虫属）在猫和羊之间循环，导致在绵羊组织中形成肉眼可见的包囊，从而降低肉类的可销售性。Toxocara cati，猫蛔虫，导致人类和牲畜的轻微疾病，而亨氏巴尔通体细菌会导致猫抓病，这种感染可以在被携带病原体的猫抓伤或咬伤时感染。目标。我们估计了澳大利亚依赖猫的病原体的经济成本。方法。我们整理了有关感染率、健康和生产后果的国家和全球数据。关键结果。我们估计人类两种依赖猫的疾病（弓形虫病、猫抓病）每年的成本为 60.6 亿澳元（合理的范围为 21.1-107 亿澳元），而弓形虫病和肉孢子虫病对牲畜生产的成本为 1170 万澳元（合理767-1830 万澳元）。大多数人类健康成本是由于弓形虫与较高的交通事故和人类精神疾病发生率之间的关联。这些关联背后的因果关系仍然不确定，因此这些成本可能被高估了。相反，我们的估计不完整，感染和疾病被低估或误诊，我们对疾病结果的理解仍然不完善，所有这些都使我们的成本被低估。结论。我们的分析表明，通过减少与猫的接触和打破寄生虫传播周期，可以实现对公共卫生和畜牧生产的实质性好处。影响。减少农业和城市地区的野猫数量，减少宠物猫的数量并提高宠物猫的控制率，可以帮助减轻猫依赖疾病对人和牲畜的负担。感染和疾病被低估或误诊，我们对疾病结果的理解仍然不完善，所有这些都使我们的成本被低估。结论。我们的分析表明，通过减少与猫的接触和打破寄生虫传播周期，可以实现对公共卫生和畜牧生产的实质性好处。影响。减少农业和城市地区的野猫数量，减少宠物猫的数量并提高宠物猫的控制率，可以帮助减轻猫依赖疾病对人和牲畜的负担。感染和疾病被低估或误诊，我们对疾病结果的理解仍然不完善，所有这些都使我们的成本被低估。结论。我们的分析表明，通过减少与猫的接触和打破寄生虫传播周期，可以实现对公共卫生和畜牧生产的实质性好处。影响。减少农业和城市地区的野猫数量，减少宠物猫的数量并提高宠物猫的控制率，可以帮助减轻猫依赖疾病对人和牲畜的负担。我们的分析表明，通过减少与猫的接触和打破寄生虫传播周期，可以实现对公共卫生和畜牧生产的实质性好处。影响。减少农业和城市地区的野猫数量，减少宠物猫的数量并提高宠物猫的控制率，可以帮助减轻猫依赖疾病对人和牲畜的负担。我们的分析表明，通过减少与猫的接触和打破寄生虫传播周期，可以实现对公共卫生和畜牧生产的实质性好处。影响。减少农业和城市地区的野猫数量，减少宠物猫的数量并提高宠物猫的控制率，可以帮助减轻猫依赖疾病对人和牲畜的负担。