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USE OF CLINDAMYCIN IN PALLAS' CATS [OTOCOLOBUS (FELIS) MANUL] TO REDUCE JUVENILE TOXOPLASMOSIS-ASSOCIATED MORTALITY
Simon J Girling1, Romain Pizzi2, Adam D Naylor2
1Veterinary Department, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, Edinburgh Zoo, Edinburgh EH12 6TS, United Kingdom, sgirling@rzss.org.uk.
Summary
Toxoplasmosis causes high mortality in Pallas' cats. Prophylactic clindamycin treatment significantly reduced first-year mortality in kittens, from 100% to 5.88% in treated groups.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Zoology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Pallas' cats (Otocolobus manul) exhibit high mortality rates, particularly from toxoplasmosis.
- Systemic toxoplasmosis was the leading infectious cause of mortality (20.6%) in Pallas' cats under one year old between 2006-2016.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of prophylactic clindamycin in reducing toxoplasmosis-related mortality in Pallas' cat kittens.
- To assess the impact of clindamycin on the overall first-year mortality rate in Pallas' cats.
Main Methods:
- A prophylactic clindamycin treatment protocol was implemented in two zoological collections.
- Treatment covered key Toxoplasma gondii exposure periods for 17 Pallas' cat kittens.
- Mortality rates were compared before and after the implementation of the clindamycin protocol.
Main Results:
- The first-year mortality rate in Pallas' cat kittens treated with clindamycin was reduced to 5.88%.
- This represents a 67.03% reduction in mortality over a two-year period compared to historical data.
- Prior to treatment, these collections experienced 100% mortality from toxoplasmosis in kittens.
Conclusions:
- Prophylactic administration of clindamycin is a highly effective strategy for mitigating toxoplasmosis-induced mortality in Pallas' cat kittens.
- Clindamycin treatment significantly improves Pallas' cat kitten survival rates, addressing a critical conservation health issue.
