Vol. 10, Issue 11, Part C (2025)

Author(s): S Aishwarya, Arumugam Sangaran, Narayanaperumal Jeyathilakan and Kannan Porteen

Abstract: Cystoisospora spp. are important coccidian parasites causing enteritis in both domestic and stray cats. Young animals are more susceptible due to immature immunity, overcrowding and environmental contamination. To assess the prevalence of Cystoisospora infection in Chennai, a total of 200 faecal samples were collected from December 2024 to October 2025. Samples were examined using sheather’s sugar flotation technique and positive samples were confirmed by micrometry for species identification. Data were statistically analysed using IBM-SPSS software. The overall prevalence of Cystoisospora spp. was 9.5% (19/200). Age-wise analysis showed the highest prevalence in kittens (13.51%), followed by cats aged 1-3 years (7.41%) and adults above three years (6.94%); however, the difference was not statistically significant (?²=2.21; p>0.05). A significant association was observed between living status and infection, with stray cats (14.44%) having a significantly higher prevalence than pet cats (5.45%) (?²=4.65; p<0.05). Male cats (11.70%) showed a higher prevalence than females (7.55%), but gender was not statistically associated with infection (?²=1.15; p>0.05). Breed and seasonal variations also showed no significant association (p>0.05), though higher infection occurred in domestic short-hair cats and during summer. The findings indicate that Cystoisospora infection persists in Chennai’s cat population, particularly among stray and younger animals. Regular deworming, improved sanitation, and management of stray cat populations may help reduce environmental contamination and transmission.

DOI: 10.22271/veterinary.2025.v10.i11c.2713