Assessment of the exposure to <i>Phlebotomus perniciosus</i> and the presence of anti- <i>Leishmania infantum</i> antibodies in stray cats in an endemic region of Spain, and their potential correlation with environmental factors

<i>Phlebotomus perniciosus</i> is a major vector of <i>Leishmania infantum</i> in the Mediterranean. While the seroprevalence of leishmaniosis in Spanish dogs and cats has been studied, data on the exposure of cats to <i>P. perniciosus</i> bites under natural conditions without repellents is limited. Stray cats could serve as sentinels for <i>L. infantum</i> and <i>P. perniciosus</i> exposure. This study analyzed sera from 204 apparently healthy stray cats, collected from January 2021 to January 2022, for antibodies against <i>P. perniciosus</i> saliva and <i>L. infantum</i> parasites. Anti-sand fly antibodies were detected in 40.69% of cats using an ELISA with the recombinant salivary protein SP03B of <i>P. perniciosus</i>. Seroprevalence of <i>L. infantum</i> infection was 23.52% by Western blot and 27.41% by ELISA, with an overall seroprevalence of 40.69% (95% CI 34.18-47.54%). This is the first assessment of antibody response to <i>P. perniciosus</i> saliva and <i>L. infantum</i> in naturally exposed stray cats in Spain. Further research is needed to examine the salivary antigens recognized by cats and to explore the relationship between <i>P. perniciosus</i> exposure and <i>L. infantum</i> infection severity in cats.