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Rotstein, D.S.; Taylor, S.K.; Bradley, J.; Breitschwerdt, E.B.
Prevalence of Bartonella henselae Antibody in Florida Panthers
2000 Journal of Wildlife Diseases (36): 157-160
Serum samples from 28 free-ranging Florida panthers (_Puma concolor coryi_) and seven mountain lions from Texas (_P. concolor stanleyana_) living in south Florida (USA) between 1997 to 1998 were tested for antibodies to _Bartonella henselae. _Twenty percent (7/35) of the samples were reactive to _B. henselae _antisera with a subspecies prevalence of 18% (5/ 28) for Florida panthers and 28% (2/7) for cougars from Texas (USA). There was not a significant sex related difference in infection rates among the Florida panthers. Antibody prevalence was higher in panthers <2-yr of age (40%) compared to panthers >2-yr (13%). Compared to studies of antibody prevalence in mountain lions (_P. concolor_) from California (USA), overall seroprevalence was lower as was prevalence in panthers >2-yr-old. However, the seroprevalence in animals <2-yr from southern Florida was similar to prevalences reported in mountain lions or domestic felids in California.
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