Respiratory distress associated with lungworm infection in a kitten

Comparative analysis of diagnostic methods and risk factors for Aelurostrongylus abstrusus infection in brazilian cats

This study aimed to prospectively evaluate the risk factors of infection by Aelurostrongylus abstrusus in Brazilian cats with cough and/or radiographic changes, using as diagnostic tools the Baermann method (BM), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of feces, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and cytology. Forty-three cats that were presented with cough or lung radiographic abnormalities compatible with bronchoalveolar disease were included in the study. After clinical evaluation, feces samples were collected to investigate lungworm parasitism through BM and PCR. BALF was performed to provide samples for cytology, bacteriology, and fungal culture. Stool PCR was considered the gold standard for diagnosis tests, and the other methods were evaluated by their agreement. PCR presented 74% (32/43) of positivity for A. abstrusus, while in the BM, 41% (18/43) were positive. BM showed sensitivity of 56.25% and specificity of 100% when compared with PCR. No larva was found in the cytological evaluation of 21 BALF samples. Lungworm is an important cause of bronchopulmonary disease in domestic cats in Brazil and should be included as a differential diagnosis when a cat is presented with cough or radiographic abnormalities. BM is a sensitive, non-invasive, and cheap technique to diagnose the disease, but it is not as sensitive as PCR.

Cat Respiratory Nematodes: Current Knowledge, Novel Data and Warranted Studies on Clinical Features, Treatment and Control

The nematodes Aelurostrongylus abstrusus, Troglostrongylus brevior and Capillaria aerophila are the most important parasites inhabiting the airways of cats. They are receiving growing attention from academia, pharmaceutical companies and veterinarians, and are now considered a primary cause of respiratory diseases in feline clinical practice and parasitology. In the past few years, several studies have been conducted in both natural and experimental settings to increase knowledge, provide new insights and fill gaps on respiratory parasitoses of cats. Awareness and knowledge of clinical scenarios towards appropriate and timely diagnosis and prompt and efficacious treatment options have become a priority to investigate. At the same time, chemopreventative approaches have been evaluated to assess the geographical spreading of these parasites and the rise in the number of clinical cases in cat populations of different countries. Given the intense accumulation of novel data, this review presents and discusses the state of the art and the latest updates on the clinical features, treatment, and control of major respiratory parasitoses of cats. Moreover, food for thought is also provided with the aim of spurring on new studies in the near future.

Fatal Pulmonary Hypertension and Right-Sided Congestive Heart Failure in a Kitten Infected with Aelurostrongylus abstrusus

Simple Summary

Infections caused by lungworms are an emerging issue in feline medicine. Clinical features in cats may vary from subclinical infections to a severe disease, occasionally including fatal pneumonia, depending on different factors, e.g., lungworm species, parasitic burden, and age of the animal. A case of infection caused by Aelurostrongylus abstrusus in a domestic kitten presenting acute dyspnoea and ascites is presented here. Clinical, radiological, echocardiographic, parasitological, molecular, and pathological data are described. This is the first report of life-threatening pulmonary hypertension inducing congestive heart failure caused by A. abstrusus infection in a domestic kitten.

Abstract

Aelurostrongylus abstrusus is considered the most important respiratory nematode of domestic cats worldwide. This parasite inhabits the alveoli, alveolar ducts, and bronchioles and causes a subacute to chronic respiratory clinical disease. Clinical signs may occur in domestic cats of any age, though they are more often described in young animals. Physical examination, echocardiography, thoracic radiography, pulmonary and cardiac pathological findings, classical, and molecular parasitological analysis of a six-month-old kitten referred at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the University of Pisa (Italy) led to a diagnosis of parasitic bronchopneumonia caused by A. abstrusus, which was complicated by severe pulmonary hypertension (PH) and right-sided congestive heart failure (R-CHF) that caused the death of the animal. Cases of reversible PH associated with A. abstrusus infection have been seldom reported in cats. This is the first report of fatal PH and R-CHF in a kitten with clinical aelurostrongylosis.

Clinical Toxoplasmosis in Dogs and Cats: An Update

Toxoplasmosis is caused by the globally distributed protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii (phylum Apicomplexa); the disease can be clinically important for almost all homeothermic animals, including birds and humans. Toxoplasmosis course involves general clinical signs, such as fever, anorexia, or dyspnea, and more specific signs with neural, respiratory, cutaneous, or ocular involvement. Because of the wide range of clinical signs, the diagnosis in domestic and pet animals can be complicated. Hence, this review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of some scarcely discussed aspects of toxoplasmosis, such as ocular and cutaneous manifestations, congenital infections, influence of T. gondii genotype on clinical toxoplasmosis, and recent findings regarding differential diagnosis. This review could be of special interest to clinicians and researchers.