Diagnosis of pancreatic disease in feline platynosomosis

Objectives: Platynosomum species are cat-specific parasitic trematodes that parasitize the biliary ducts and gall bladder. Due to the common connection to the major duodenal papilla of the pancreas and common bile ducts in addition to the periductal proximity of the pancreas, it is possible that platynosomosis could cause pancreatitis. The objective of this study was to determine whether platynosomosis, a commonly diagnosed parasitic disease in cats on St Kitts, has any association with pancreatic disease. Methods: To investigate this possibility, the pancreas of free-roaming cats with naturally acquired platynosomosis were evaluated via ultrasound, serum concentrations of feline pancreatic lipase (fPL), cobalamin, folate and feline trypsin-like immunoreactivity (fTLI) and histopathology. Twenty free-roaming, young adult, feral cats, positive for feline immunodeficiency virus, and diagnosed with Platynosomum species infection via fecal analysis were recruited. The liver, biliary system and pancreas were evaluated via ultrasonography during a short duration anesthesia. Serum concentrations of fPL, fTLI, folate and cobalamin were measured. Sections of the right limb, left limb and body of the pancreas were evaluated histopathologically using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stain. Results: None of the cats had sufficient criteria to fulfill the ultrasonographic diagnosis of pancreatitis. One cat had an elevated fPL concentration in the range consistent with pancreatitis. Four cats had cobalamin deficiencies and 11 had abnormal folate concentration. The fTLI concentration was equivocal for the diagnosis of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in one cat. With a single exception, histopathology changes, when present (n = 12), were mild, non-specific and predominantly characterized by lymphocytic infiltrates and fibrosis. The exception was a cat that presented a chronic interstitial and eosinophilic pancreatitis of slightly increased severity, likely the result of platynosomosis. Conclusions and relevance: The results of this study suggest that platynosomosis rarely induces pancreatic damage in cats. With only one exception, chronic pancreatitis diagnosed in cats with fluke-induced cholangitis and cholangiohepatitis was subtle and interpreted as an incidental background lesion unrelated to platynosomosis

Survey of vector-borne agents in feral cats and first report of Babesia gibsoni in cats on St Kitts, West Indies

Background: As there is little data on vector-borne diseases of cats in the Caribbean region and even around the world, we tested feral cats from St Kitts by PCR to detect infections with Babesia, Ehrlichia and spotted fever group Rickettsia (SFGR) and surveyed them for antibodies to Rickettsia rickettsii and Ehrlichia canis. Results: Whole blood was collected from apparently healthy feral cats during spay/ neuter campaigns on St Kitts in 2011 (N = 68) and 2014 (N = 52). Sera from the 52 cats from 2014 were used to detect antibodies to Ehrlichia canis and Rickettsia rickettsii using indirect fluorescent antibody tests and DNA extracted from whole blood of a total of 119 cats (68 from 2011, and 51 from 2014) was used for PCRs for Babesia, Ehrlichia and Rickettsia. We could not amplify DNA of SFG Rickettsia in any of the samples but found DNA of E. canis in 5% (6/119), Babesia vogeli in 13% (15/119), Babesia gibsoni in 4% (5/119), mixed infections with B. gibsoni and B. vogeli in 3% (3/119), and a poorly characterized Babesia sp. in 1% (1/119). Overall, 10% of the 52 cats we tested by IFA for E. canis were positive while 42% we tested by indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) for R. rickettsii antigens were positive. Conclusions: Our study provides the first evidence that cats can be infected with B. gibsoni and also indicates that cats in the Caribbean may be commonly exposed to other vector-borne agents including SFGR, E. canis and B. vogeli. Animal health workers should be alerted to the possibility of clinical infections in their patients while public health workers should be alerted to the possibility that zoonotic SFGR are likely circulating in the region

Serum canine pancreatic-specific lipase concentrations in dogs with naturally occurring Babesia rossi infection

Babesia rossi is the cause of a highly virulent multisystemic disease with a variable outcome, which is a reliable model of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). The objective of this study was to determine the concentration of canine pancreatic-specific lipase (cPL) in a population of dogs with naturally acquired B. rossi infection. In addition, the associations between serum cPL and death and SIRS status were examined. An observational study recruited 87 dogs diagnosed with B. rossi infection and serum cPL concentrations were measured daily until discharge or death. The median concentration of serum cPL was 124.0 µg/L (interquartile range: 51.0 µg/L – 475.5 µg/L) on admission (n = 87) and 145.5 µg/L (62.3 µg/L – 434.0 µg/L) on day two of hospitalisation (n = 40). Twenty-four dogs (28%) had a serum cPL concentration within the diagnostic range for pancreatitis (> 400 µg/L) at admission with 13 dogs (32.5%) presenting as such on the second day of hospitalisation. The median concentration of serum cPL in dogs with SIRS was 158 µg/L (interquartile range: 52.5 µg/L – 571.5 µg/L; n = 53), which was significantly higher than in those without SIRS (75 µg/L; 50.3 µg/L – 131.8 µg/L; n = 32) (P = 0.018). This study demonstrated that an unexpectedly high number of dogs diagnosed with naturally acquired canine babesiosis had a serum cPL concentration within the diagnostic range for acute pancreatitis and a significantly higher serum cPL concentration was found in dogs that were classified as having SIRS

Tritrichomonas foetus infection, a cause of chronic diarrhea in the domestic cat

International audienceAbstractTritrichomonas foetus is a very intriguing trichomonad protozoan with respect to its varied choice of residence in the different host species. It is an obligate parasite of the reproductive and the gastrointestinal tract of bovine and feline host respectively, leading to trichomonosis. Bovine trichomonosis is a sexually transmitted disease whereas feline trichomonosis is a disease with a purported fecal-oral route of spread. Further, the trichomonad is a commensal in the nasal passages, stomach, cecum and colon of swine host. Advances have been exponential in understanding the trichomonad biology and specifically feline trichomonosis since late 1990s and early 2000s when T. foetus was soundly determined to be a causative agent of chronic diarrhea in the domestic cat. It is a challenging task, even for a skilled investigator not to mention the busy clinical veterinarian, to keep up with the vast volume of information. Here we comprehensively reviewed the trichomonad biology, clinical manifestations, pathogenesis, host immunity, world map of distribution, risk factors, diagnosis and treatment. Risk factors associated with T. foetus-positive status in the domestic cat include young age, purebred, history of diarrhea, co-infections with other enteral pathogens. In addition, molecular similarity of bovine and feline isolates of T. foetus in DNA sequence was concisely discussed. The data presented serve as an information source for veterinarians, and investigators who are interested in biology of T. foetus and feline trichomonosis

Failure to detect in a cross-sectional survey in the populations of feral cats and owned outpatient cats on St Kitts, West Indies

Objectives For over two decades, feline trichomonosis caused by Tritrichomonas foetus has been recognized as a large-bowel protozoan disease of the domestic cat. It has a wide distribution, but no reports exist in the Caribbean. The objectives of this study were to detect the presence of T foetus and its prevalence in the domestic cat on St Kitts, West Indies. Methods A cross-sectional study was performed between September 2014 and December 2015. This study recruited 115 feral cats from a trap–neuter–return program and 37 owned cats treated as outpatients at the university veterinary clinic. Fresh feces were inoculated in InPouch culture medium, as per the manufacturer’s instructions. In addition, PCR was performed using primers for T foetus . DNA extraction with amplification using primers of a Felis catus NADH dehydrogenase subunit 6 was used as a housekeeping gene for quality control. Results Only two owned cats had reported diarrhea in the preceding 6 months. None of the 152 samples were positive on InPouch culture microscopic examination. Only 35/69 feral cat fecal DNA samples were positive for the housekeeping gene, of which none tested PCR positive for T foetus . Conclusions and relevance T foetus was not detected by culture and PCR in feral cats and owned cats on St Kitts. A high proportion of PCR inhibitors in the DNA samples using a commercial fecal DNA kit can lead to underestimating the prevalence, which should be taken into consideration when a survey on gastrointestinal pathogens depends exclusively on molecular detection