<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<sec id="j_jvetres-2020-0019_s_005">
<h3>Introduction</h3>
<p>The aim of the study was to establish the prevalence of <italic>Bartonella</italic> spp. in cats in eastern Poland, and to determine the factors associated with the infection.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_jvetres-2020-0019_s_006">
<h3>Material and Methods</h3>
<p>PCRs were performed to detect <italic>Bartonella</italic> DNA in the whole blood of 672 cats from four regions in eastern Poland (the Lublin, Podlasie, Masovian, and Subcarpathian provinces). The association between the previously selected variables and the dependent variable (presence of <italic>Bartonella</italic> DNA) was investigated using a logistic regression model.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_jvetres-2020-0019_s_007">
<h3>Results</h3>
<p>The overall prevalence of infection was 40.48%. All PCR positive cats were infected with <italic>B. henselae</italic>. The living conditions of the animals (free outdoor roaming), mixed breed cats, Subcarpathian region, and absence of tick control were significant risk factors associated with <italic>Bartonella</italic> infection at a 95% confidence level.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_jvetres-2020-0019_s_008">
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Cats in eastern Poland appear to be at risk of a bartonellosis epizootic. Factors which seem to impact the likelihood of infection in cats and factors which seem not to impact it have been suggested. We advocate additional research into the ways bartonellosis spreads, its geographical scope, and the factors that favour its development.</p></sec>
</abstract>

Introduction
The aim of the study was to establish the prevalence of Bartonella spp. in cats in eastern Poland, and to determine the factors associated with the infection.

Material and Methods
PCRs were performed to detect Bartonella DNA in the whole blood of 672 cats from four regions in eastern Poland (the Lublin, Podlasie, Masovian, and Subcarpathian provinces). The association between the previously selected variables and the dependent variable (presence of Bartonella DNA) was investigated using a logistic regression model.

Results
The overall prevalence of infection was 40.48%. All PCR positive cats were infected with B. henselae. The living conditions of the animals (free outdoor roaming), mixed breed cats, Subcarpathian region, and absence of tick control were significant risk factors associated with Bartonella infection at a 95% confidence level.

Conclusion
Cats in eastern Poland appear to be at risk of a bartonellosis epizootic. Factors which seem to impact the likelihood of infection in cats and factors which seem not to impact it have been suggested. We advocate additional research into the ways bartonellosis spreads, its geographical scope, and the factors that favour its development.

Epizootic situation of feline <italic>Bartonella</italic> infection in eastern Poland

Journal of Veterinary Research

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Epizootic situation of feline  infection in eastern Poland

Introduction
The aim of the study was to establish the prevalence of Bartonella spp. in cats in eastern Poland, and to determine the factors associated with...

Variable	Category	Total (percentage of PCR positive cats)	Total (percentage of PCR negative cats)	P
Sex	Male	79 (38.0)	129 (62.0)
Sex	Female	193 (41.6)	271 (58.4)	0.378

Age	Young (<1 year old, (≥1 year old)	42 (37.5)	70 (62.5)
Age		230 (41.1)	330 (58.9)	0.482

Living conditions	Indoors only	84 (25.0)	252 (75.0)
Living conditions	Outdoors and indoors	188 (56.0)	148 (44.0)	<0.001

Breed	Mixed breed	241 (47.8)	263 (52.2)
Breed	Purebred	31 (18.5)	137 (81.5)	<0.001

Region	Lublin	84 (38.0)	137 (62.0)
	Masovian	53 (28.5)	133 (71.5)
	Subcarpathian	81 (53.3)	71 (46.7)	<0.001
	Podlasie	54 (47.8)	59 (52.2)

Disease	Yes	169 (43.2)	222 (56.8)
Disease	No	103 (36.7)	178 (63.3)	0.087

Tick control	Yes	76 (27.9)	196 (72.1)
Tick control	No	196 (49.0)	204 (51.0)	<0.001

Variable	Category	P (Wald’s Statistic)	OR	95% CI
Living conditions	Outdoors and indoors Indoors only Reference category. Its OR value was 1 in all cases	<0.001	3.36	2.46–4.95

Breed	Mixed breed Pure Reference category. Its OR value was 1 in all cases	0.001	2.81	1.75–4.51

Region	Lublin	0.684	0.9	0.55–1.48
	Masovian	0.471	0.82	0.48–1.4
	Subcarpathian	0.013	2.01	1.16–3.47
	Podlasie Reference category. Its OR value was 1 in all cases

Tick control	No Yes Reference category. Its OR value was 1 in all cases	<0.001	2.02	1.41–2.92
	Yes Reference category. Its OR value was 1 in all cases

Constant		0.001	0.33

Epizootic situation of feline Bartonella infection in eastern Poland

Published Online: Mar 08, 2020

Page range: 79 - 83

Received: Jun 17, 2019

Accepted: Feb 24, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jvetres-2020-0019

Keywords
cats, spp, vector-borne disease, ticks, fleas

© 2020 Ł. Mazurek et al. published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Fig.1

Variables associated (P < 0.15) with Bartonella infection in cats from eastern Poland

Logistic regression model showing variables significantly associated with Bartonella spp. in eastern Poland (at a 95% confidence level)

Epizootic situation of feline Bartonella infection in eastern Poland

Published Online: Mar 08, 2020

Page range: 79 - 83

Received: Jun 17, 2019

Accepted: Feb 24, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jvetres-2020-0019

Keywordscats, spp, vector-borne disease, ticks, fleas

© 2020 Ł. Mazurek et al. published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Fig.1

Variables associated (P < 0.15) with Bartonella infection in cats from eastern Poland

Logistic regression model showing variables significantly associated with Bartonella spp. in eastern Poland (at a 95% confidence level)

Keywords
cats, spp, vector-borne disease, ticks, fleas