Survey of Dirofilaria immitis antigen and antibodies to Leishmania infantum and Toxoplasma gondii in cats from Madeira Island, Portugal

Table 1 Prevalence of Dirofilaria immitis antigen and antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in cats from Madeira Island, Portugal, according to the categories of several independent variables

Variable/category	No. (%) of cats tested	Percentage (n) of D. immitis-positive	Percentage (n) of T. gondii-positive
Municipality	141 (100)	P = 0.654^a	P = 0.459^b
Funchal	90 (63.8)	4.4 (4)	27.8 (25)
Other^j	51 (36.2)	2.0 (1)	35.3 (18)
Age group	139 (98.6)	P = 0.322^a	P = 0.007^c
Juvenile [5–11 months]	39 (27.7)	0 (0)	12.8 (5)
Adult [1–21 years]	100 (70.9)	5.0 (5)	38.0 (38)
Sex	141 (100)	P = 1.0^a	P = 0.067^d
Female	64 (45.4)	3.1 (2)	39.1 (25)
Male	77 (54.6)	3.9 (3)	23.4 (18)
Breed	141 (100)	P = 1.0^a	P = 0.247^a
Mixed	133 (94.3)	3.8 (5)	29.3 (39)
Defined^k	8 (5.7)	0 (0)	50.0 (4)
Fur length	138 (97.9)	P = 1.0^a	P = 0.218^e
Short	101 (71.6)	3.0 (3)	27.7 (28)
Medium	37 (26.2)	2.7 (1)	40.5 (15)
Housing	138 (97.9)	P = 1.0^a	P = 0.081^f
Indoors	34 (24.1)	2.9 (1)	17.6 (6)
Outdoors or mixed	104 (73.8)	3.8 (4)	35.6 (37)
Clinical status^l	141 (100)	P = 0.134^a	P = 0.705^g
Non-suspect	122 (86.5)	2.5 (3)	29.5 (36)
Suspect	19 (13.5)	10.5 (2)	36.8 (7)
Ectoparasiticides^m	103 (73.0)	P = 0.009^a	P = 0.147^h
Yes	62 (44.0)	0 (0)	25.8 (16)
No	41 (29.1)	12.2 (5)	41.5 (17)
Macrocyclic lactonesⁿ	107 (75.9)	P = 0.076^a	P = 0.066ⁱ
Yes	44 (31.2)	0 (0)	18.2 (8)
No	63 (44.7)	7.9 (5)	36.5 (23)
Total	141 (100)	3.5 (5)	30.5 (43)

^aFisher’s exact test
^bχ² = 0.549, df = 1
^cχ² = 7.189, df = 1
^dχ² = 3.351, df = 1
^eχ² = 1.520, df = 1
^fχ² = 3.050, df = 1
^gχ² = 0.143, df = 1
^hχ² = 2.106, df = 1
ⁱχ² = 3.384, df = 1
^jCalheta (n = 3; 2.1%), Câmara de Lobos (n = 19; 13.5%), Ponta do Sol (n = 4; 2.8%), Porto Moniz (n = 1; 0.7%), Ribeira Brava (n = 4; 2.8%) and Santa Cruz (n = 20; 14.2%)
^kPersian (n = 1; 0.7%) and Siamese (n = 7; 5.0%)
^lClinical manifestations compatible with cardiopulmonary dirofilariosis and/or toxoplasmosis, comprising: anaemia, anorexia, diarrhoea, dyspnoea, fever, jaundice, pale mucous membranes and vomit
^mDinotefuran and pyriproxifen, fipronil and (S)-methoprene, fluralaner, lotilaner or spinosad
ⁿEprinomectin or milbemycin oxime

ISSN: 1756-3305