Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40192929›Full record

ArticleVeterinary research communications2025

Seroepidemiological study of Leishmania infantum, Toxoplasma gondii and Dirofilaria immitis in pet ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) in Spain.

José Villora, María Eugenia Lebrero, Jacobo Giner, Asier Basurco, Laura Vilalta, Andrés Montesinos, Maria-Magdalena Alcover, Cristina Riera, Roser Fisa, Xavier Roca-Geronès and 5 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Veterinary research communications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

José VilloraSelvática VetPartners Veterinary Clinic, Valencia, Spain.
María Eugenia LebreroDepartment of Animal Pathology, Universidad de Zaragoza, 177 Miguel Servet Street, Zaragoza, 50013, Spain.
Jacobo GinerDepartment of Animal Pathology, Universidad de Zaragoza, 177 Miguel Servet Street, Zaragoza, 50013, Spain.
Asier BasurcoDepartment of Animal Pathology, Universidad de Zaragoza, 177 Miguel Servet Street, Zaragoza, 50013, Spain.
Laura VilaltaHospital Veterinari Canis, Girona, Spain.
Andrés MontesinosHospital Veterinario de Animales Exoticos Los Sauces, Madrid, Spain.
Maria-Magdalena AlcoverDepartment of Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Health and Environmental Medicine, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Cristina RieraDepartment of Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Health and Environmental Medicine, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Roser FisaDepartment of Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Health and Environmental Medicine, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Xavier Roca-GeronèsDepartment of Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Health and Environmental Medicine, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Aitor RamosDepartment of Animal Pathology, Universidad de Zaragoza, 177 Miguel Servet Street, Zaragoza, 50013, Spain.
Álex GómezDepartment of Animal Pathology, Universidad de Zaragoza, 177 Miguel Servet Street, Zaragoza, 50013, Spain. a.gomez@unizar.es.
Sergio Villanueva-SazDepartment of Animal Pathology, Universidad de Zaragoza, 177 Miguel Servet Street, Zaragoza, 50013, Spain. svs@unizar.es.
Antonio FernándezDepartment of Animal Pathology, Universidad de Zaragoza, 177 Miguel Servet Street, Zaragoza, 50013, Spain.
Diana MartelesDepartment of Animal Pathology, Universidad de Zaragoza, 177 Miguel Servet Street, Zaragoza, 50013, Spain.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Ferrets are susceptible to infections with Leishmania infantum, Toxoplasma gondii, and Dirofilaria immitis; however, epidemiological data on these infections are limited in Europe. A total of 448 serum samples from household ferrets were collected between December 2019 and December 2023 in Spain. In this study, we assessed the seroprevalence of L. infantum and D. immitis using an in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and T. gondii using an in-house immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT). Among the ferrets tested, the seroprevalence was 10.49% (47/448) for L. infantum, 2.68% (12/448) for T. gondii and 10.27% (46/448) for D. immitis. There was no significant association between seropositivity and age, gender, neutering status, cohabitation, lifestyle, and collection date. Ferrets classified as sick animals related to the presence of compatible or non-compatible signs showed a higher seropositivity rate for L. infantum (15.90%) compared to subclinical animals (4.76%). Overall, 23.44% (105/448) of the samples were seropositive for at least one of the three parasitic agents, 3.12% (15/448) were positive for two agents, and 0.22% (1/448) tested positive for all three agents. Co-infections were also evaluated, revealing that 12.76% (6/47) of L. infantum seropositive ferrets were also positive for T. gondii (p = 0.011) and 21.27% (10/47) for D. immitis (p = 0.009). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the seroprevalence of L. infantum, D. immitis, and T. gondii within the ferret population in Spain. Understanding the epidemiological status of these and other zoonotic pathogens is crucial for enhancing surveillance in both veterinary and public health sectors, as well as for strengthening prevention and control strategies.

Indexed as

DirofilariasisFerretsLeishmaniasis, VisceralToxoplasmosis, AnimalAnimalsDirofilaria immitisFemaleLeishmania infantumMalePetsSeroepidemiologic StudiesSpainToxoplasmaDirofilaria immitisFerretLeishmania infantumSerologySpainToxoplasma gondii

Identifiers

PMID40192929
PMCPMC11976796

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.