Leishmania infantum-specific IFN-? production in stimulated blood from cats living in areas where canine leishmaniosis is endemic

Priolo, Vito; Martínez-Orellana, Pamela; Pennisi, Maria Grazia; Masucci, Marisa; Prandi, David; Ippolito, Dorotea; Bruno, Federica; Castelli, Germano; Solano-Gallego, Laia

The present study did not aim to evaluate the parasite T cell mediated immunity of clinical cases of FeL but based on data available from physical examination, the frequency of IFNγ-p individuals was not different in apparently healthy and sick cats. Similarly, there was no difference in the prevalence of sick cats between IFNγ-p and IFNγ-np cats positive to serological or blood PCR tests. However, sick IFNγ-p cats produced a significantly higher level of IFN-γ. Moreover, the unique cat with clinical FeL confirmed by cytology was IFNγ-p and, despite possible immunosuppression due to FeLV infection and to neoplasia, this cat reached an IFN-γ level around the median value. In the present study, retroviral infection per se did not affect adaptive immune response of cats to L. infantum, but a limitation was the very low number of FIV (n = 13) or FeLV (n = 4) infected enrolled cats.