Fifth European Dirofilaria and Angiostrongylus Days (FiEDAD) 2016

Peer reviewe

Elusive Angiostrongylus vasorum infections

The parasitic nematode Angiostrongylus vasorum causes severe clinical signs in dogs. The disease is often challenging because infected animals are often presented with clinical signs overlapping those of other diseases

Occurrence of Aelurostrongylus abstrusus and Troglostrongylus brevior in cats from Italy.

The cat lungworm Aelurostrongylus abstrusus occurs throughout Europe while Troglostrongylus brevior has been recently recorded in cats from Spain, Italy and Greece. This survey investigated the occurrence of A. abstrusus and T. brevior in 835 cats (i.e. 97, 88, 134, 222, 182 and 112 from sites I-VI) from Northern (sites I and II) and Central (sites III-VI) Italy. Faecal samples were microscopically examined and their positivity was confirmed molecularly. Fifty-two (6.2%) cats were positive for A. abstrusus, 35 (4.2%) for T. brevior, while 15 (1.8%) showed a mixed infection. Aelurostrongylus abstrusus was found in 2 (2.1%), 11 (11.4%), 4 (3%), 7 (3.2%), 19 (10.4%) and 9 (8%) samples in sites I-VI, while T. brevior in 1 (1%), 13 (8.6%), 15 (8.2%), 6 (5.4%) in sites I, IV, V and VI. Mixed infections were recorded in sites IV (2/0.9%), V (11/6%) and VI (2/1.8%). Infected cats were classified based on their age in Groups A (0-6 month-old, 43 cats), B (6-24 month-old, 33 cats), C (older than two years, 26 cats). Cats with aelurostrongylosis, troglostrongylosis and mixed infections, belonged to Groups A (13/25%, 21/60% and 9/60%), B (19/36.5%, 11/31.4% and 3/20%) and C (20/38.5%, 3/8.6% and 3/20%), respectively. These results confirm the presence of A. abstrusus throughout Italy and a spreading of T. brevior in central regions, especially in kittens and young cats. These lungworms should be always considered in the differential diagnosis of cat respiratory diseases. Further studies are required on treatment and control of feline infections caused by lungworms

Occurence of Aelurostrongylus abstrusus and Troglostrongylus brevior in cats from Italy

The cat lungworm Aelurostrongylus abstrusus occurs throughout Europe while Troglostrongylus brevior has been recently recorded in cats from Spain, Italy and Greece. This survey investigated the occurrence of A. abstrusus and T. brevior in 835 cats (i.e. 97, 88, 134, 222, 182 and 112 from sites I-VI) from Northern (sites I and II) and Central (sites III-VI) Italy. Faecal samples were microscopically examined and their positivity was confirmed molecularly. Fifty-two (6.2%) cats were positive for A. abstrusus, 35 (4.2%) for T. brevior, while 15 (1.8%) showed a mixed infection. Aelurostrongylus abstrusus was found in 2 (2.1%), 11 (11.4%), 4 (3%), 7 (3.2%), 19 (10.4%) and 9 (8%) samples in sites I-VI, while T. brevior in 1 (1%), 13 (8.6%), 15 (8.2%), 6 (5.4%) in sites I, IV, V and VI. Mixed infections were recorded in sites IV (2/0.9%), V (11/6%) and VI (2/1.8%). Infected cats were classified based on their age in Groups A (0-6 month-old, 43 cats), B (6-24 month-old, 33 cats), C (older than two years, 26 cats). Cats with aelurostrongylosis, troglostrongylosis and mixed infections, belonged to Groups A (13/25%, 21/60% and 9/60%), B (19/36.5%, 11/31.4% and 3/20%) and C (20/38.5%, 3/8.6% and 3/20%), respectively. These results confirm the presence of A. abstrusus throughout Italy and a spreading of T. brevior in central regions, especially in kittens and young cats. These lungworms should be always considered in the differential diagnosis of cat respiratory diseases. Further studies are required on treatment and control of feline infections caused by lungworms

Highly Variable Clinical Pictures in Dogs Naturally Infected with Angiostrongylus vasorum

Canine angiostrongylosis by Angiostrongylus vasorum is increasingly reported in both enzootic and previously free areas. The complex pathogenesis of the disease makes the clinical workup challenging. Infected dogs show highly variable clinical pictures, characterized by subclinical to life-threatening general, cardio-respiratory, neurological and/or gastrointestinal signs. The present study reports the high variability of clinical pictures from 36 dogs across central and southern Italy that were naturally infected by A. vasorum. Of them, 23 (63.9%) presented at least one clinical sign, while 13 (36.1%) were subclinically infected and apparently healthy. Overall, 19 dogs (52.8%) showed cardiorespiratory signs, 14 (38.9%) had non-specific abnormalities, 2 (5.6%) presented coagulation disorders and 1 (2.8%) had a severe neurological condition. Importantly, four dogs presenting with clinical signs had neither cough nor dyspnea. These results underline that angiostrongylosis should be included in the differential diagnosis, even when dogs display only non-specific clinical signs. The proportion of apparently healthy dogs highlights the relevance of routine copromicroscopic and/or antigenic tests in enzootic areas to avoid the sudden onset of potentially life-threatening signs

Occurrence of canine and feline extra-intestinal nematodes in key endemic regions of Italy

Extra-intestinal nematodes of companion animals are of growing concern in veterinary medicine for their pathogenic potential and the current expansion throughout Europe. The present study has evaluated the occurrence of major canine and feline extra-intestinal nematodes in regions of Italy having epidemiological relevance. Associations of various recorded parameters related to the examined animals have been statistically evaluated, along with a comparative analysis with the most recent epidemiological data. Overall, 1055 dogs and 1000 cats were tested. Among extra-intestinal nematodes Angiostrongylus vasorum was the most common in dogs followed by Capillaria aerophila and Dirofilaria spp.; Aelurostrongylus abstrusus was the most recorded parasite in cats, followed by C. aerophila and Troglostrongylus brevior. The statistical analysis revealed that outdoor access is associated with A. vasorum, A. abstrusus and T. brevior infections, that were also more prevalent in animals with cardio-respiratory signs. Moreover, cats aged less than 12 months had more chances to be infected by lungworms. The data herein presented confirm the occurrence and the possible risk of expansion of different extraintestinal parasitoses of dogs and cats in Italy, underlining the importance of a constant epidemiologic vigilance and of appropriate control methods

Occurrence of canine and feline extra-intestinal nematodes in key endemic regions of Italy

Extra-intestinal nematodes of companion animals are of growing concern in veterinary medicine for their pathogenic potential and the current expansion throughout Europe. The present study has evaluated the occurrence of major canine and feline extra-intestinal nematodes in regions of Italy having epidemiological relevance. Associations of various recorded parameters related to the examined animals have been statistically evaluated, along with a comparative analysis with the most recent epidemiological data. Overall, 1055 dogs and 1000 cats were tested. Among extra-intestinal nematodes Angiostrongylus vasorum was the most common in dogs followed by Capillaria aerophila and Dirofilaria spp.; Aelurostrongylus abstrusus was the most recorded parasite in cats, followed by C. aerophila and Troglostrongylus brevior. The statistical analysis revealed that outdoor access is associated with A. vasorum, A. abstrusus and T. brevior infections, that were also more prevalent in animals with cardio-respiratory signs. Moreover, cats aged less than 12 months had more chances to be infected by lungworms. The data herein presented confirm the occurrence and the possible risk of expansion of different extraintestinal parasitoses of dogs and cats in Italy, underlining the importance of a constant epidemiologic vigilance and of appropriate control methods