Screening of Domestic Cats from North-Eastern Hungary for Hepatozoon felis and Cytauxzoon europaeus That Cause Infections in Local Wildcat Populations.

Among vector-borne protozoa and are considered emerging species in felids in Europe. To investigate the presence of these two protozoa 127 domestic cats and 4 wildcats were screened by PCRs targeting the rRNA gene of spp. and piroplasms, as well as the gene of spp. The samples were collected inside and outside a region of Hungary, where both protozoan groups are endemic in wildcats. Among domestic cats, one proved to be infected with . Furthermore, spleen samples of four wildcats were also examined, among which three tested positive for , and one had co-infection with . Importantly, from the co-infected wildcat belonged to genogroup II, similarly to from the positive domestic cat. Based on phylogenetic evidence, this genogroup probably represents a separate species from genogroup I of , which was hitherto reported from Mediterranean countries in Europe. The two other wildcats also harbored from genogroup I. Neither nor infections were detected outside the recently discovered endemic region. In conclusion, this study demonstrates for the first time in Europe that from genogroup II may emerge in free-roaming domestic cats in regions where this protozoan parasite is endemic in wildcats.