Canine angiostrongylosis: recent advances in diagnosis, prevention, and treatment

Angiostrongylus vasorum is a parasitic nematode affecting the heart and pulmonary arteries of wild (eg, foxes) and domestic canids. The parasite has an indirect life cycle in which slugs and snails act as intermediate hosts. In the last few years the parasite has spread outside the traditional endemic foci, and there is a rise of documented cases of canine angiostrongylosis across Europe. Angiostrongylus vasorum causes cardiopulmonary disorders and coagulopathies, along with different nonspecific clinical signs. Fatal infections are frequently reported. Given the severity of the infection and the recent geographic spreading of the parasite, this article reviews and discusses the current knowledge of A. vasorum, with a special focus on recent insights on diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of dog angiostrongylosis

Canine and feline cardiopulmonary parasitic nematodes in Europe: emerging and underestimated

Cardiopulmonary nematodes of dogs and cats cause parasitic diseases of central relevance in current veterinary practice. In the recent past the distribution of canine and feline heartworms and lungworms has increased in various geographical areas, including Europe. This is true especially for the metastrongyloids Aelurostrongylus abstrusus, Angiostrongylus vasorum and Crenosoma vulpis, the filarioid Dirofilaria immitis and the trichuroid Eucoleus aerophilus (syn. Capillaria aerophila). The reasons of this emergence are little known but many drivers such as global warming, changes in vector epidemiology and movements in animal populations, may be taken into account. The purpose of this article is to review the knowledge of the most important heartworm and lungworm infections of dogs and cats in Europe. In particular recent advances in epidemiology, clinical and control are described and discussed

Felid Cardiopulmonary Nematodes: Dilemmas Solved and New Questions Posed

In the past decade cardiopulmonary nematodes affecting felids have become a core research topic in small animal parasitology. In the late 2000s, an increase in studies was followed by unexpected findings in the early 2010s, which have stimulated research teams to start investigating these intriguing parasites. Prolific scientific debate and exchanges have then fostered field and laboratory studies and epi-zootiological surveys. New data have improved basic and applied knowledge, solved dilemmas and posed new questions. This article discusses the past and present background to felid cardiopulmonary nematodes after the last few years of intense scientific research. New data which have demonstrated the key role of Aelurostrongylus abstrusus and Troglostrongylus brevior in causing respiratory infections in domestic cats, and on the nil to negligible current importance of other species, i.e., Troglostrongylus subcrenatus, Oslerus rostratus and Angiostrongylus chabaudi, are presented. Biological information and hypothesized alternative routes of infection are analysed and discussed. Novel identification and taxonomical data and issues are reported and commented upon. On the whole, recent biological, ecological and epi-zootiological information on felid meta-strongyloids is critically analysed, with the aim to answer outstanding questions, stimulate future studies, and underline new research perspectives

Mixed trichuroid infestation in a dog from Italy

Background: Capillaria aerophila, Capillaria boehmi and Trichuris vulpis are trichuroid nematodes affecting wild and companion animals all over the World. The canine intestinal whipworm, T. vulpis, is the most common and wellknown in veterinary practice, whereas the respiratory C. aerophila and C. boehmi have been rarely reported in pets as a likely consequence of overlapping morphometric and morphological features of the eggs, which impair a correct etiological diagnosis. Findings: In December 2011, a mixed infestation by T. vulpis, C. aerophila and C. boehmi was diagnosed in an asymptomatic dog living in central Italy. Morphometric and morphological findings and pictures of the eggs found at the copromicroscopic analysis are herein reported. Conclusions: The present work demonstrates that when trichuroid eggs are found in a faecal sample from a dog, a careful morphological and morphometric analysis of individual parasite elements is mandatory. Key diagnostic features (i.e., size, wall surface pattern and aspects of plugs) should be carefully examined when eggs with overlapping shape and appearance are detected. In conclusion, given the importance in clinical practice of canine trichuroids and the zoonotic potential of C. aerophila, these nematodes should be included into the differential diagnosis of intestinal and respiratory parasitoses of dogs by a thorough microscopic analysis of all trichuroid ova present in microscopic fields

Cyathostomine egg reappearance period following ivermectin treatment in a cohort of UK Thoroughbreds.

Background: In spite of the emergence of populations of drug-resistant cyathostomins worldwide, little is known of parasite species responsible for 'early egg shedding' in cohorts of horses subjected to treatment with widely used anthelmintics (e.g. ivermectin [IVM]). In this study, we determined the cyathostomin egg reappearance period (ERP) after IVM treatment of a cohort of yearlings from a large Thoroughbred (TB) stud farm in the United Kingdom, and identified species of IVM-'resistant' cyathostomins using a combination of fundamental parasitology techniques coupled with advanced molecular tools. Methods: Individual faecal samples were collected from TB yearlings with cyathostomin infection prior to IVM treatment, as well as at 2, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42 and 49 days posttreatment. Faecal egg counts (FEC) were performed for each individual sample for determination of ERPs. In addition, individual larval cultures were performed and representative numbers of third stage larvae (L3s) harvested from each culture were subjected to molecular species identification via PCR-Reverse Line Blot (RLB). Results: Prior to IVM treatment, 11 cyathostomin species were detected in faecal samples from TB horses enrolled in this study, i.e. Cyathostomum (Cya.) catinatum, Cylicostephanus (Cys.) longibursatus, Cys. goldi, Cylicocyclus (Cyc.) nassatus, Cys. calicatus, Cya, pateratum, Cyc. radiatus, Paraposteriostomum mettami, Coronocyclus (Cor.) labratus, Cyc. insigne and Cyc. radiatus variant A. Of these, eggs of Cya. catinatum, Cys. longibursatus, Cyc. nassatus and Cyc. radiatus could be detected at 28 days post-treatment, while from day 42 onwards, cyathostomin species composition reflected data obtained pre-IVM treatment, with the exception of eggs of Cor. labratus and Cyc. insigne that could no longer be detected post-IVM administration. Conclusions: This study provides valuable data on the occurrence of IVM-resistance in cyathostomins in the UK. Nevertheless, further investigations are needed to shed light on the prevalence and incidence of drug-resistance in this country as well as other areas of the world where equine trade is substantial

Temporal occurrence of Cryptosporidium in the Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum in northern Adriatic Italian lagoons.

In order to evaluate the temporal occurrence of Cryptosporidium oocysts in Ruditapes philippinarum clams bred along the northeastern Italian Adriatic coast and molecularly characterize the isolates, 2,160 specimens (180 clams per month) were collected from three clam farms from January to December 2004. Two farms (sites A and B) were located in Venice (Chioggia, Veneto region) and one (site C) in the Marano Lagoons (Friuli Venezia Giulia region). Clams from 36 pools (i.e., one pool of 60 clams per month per site) were subjected to a high-sensitivity seminested PCR assay specific for a 360-bp diagnostic region internal to the Cryptosporidium spp. outer wall protein gene. Positive amplicons were sequenced and analyzed. Cryptosporidium DNA was found in clams from seven pools (sites A and B) during 1 month of sampling at site A and 6 months of sampling at site B, with Cryptosporidium hominis and Cryptosporidium parvum being detected. The expected infection rate of the clams was 0.36%. Site B showed a significantly higher expected infection rate (1.15%) than did the other sites (A = 0.14% and C = 0%). Given its high sensitivity and specificity, this seminested PCR assay can be considered a reliable tool for detecting and distinguishing species within the Cryptosporidium genus. The seasonal pattern of contamination and the related public health risks are of particular concern

Canine giardiosis in Sardinia Island, Italy: prevalence, molecular characterization, and risk factors

Introduction: The flagellate protozoan Giardia duodenalis causes infection in humans and in various animals. Eight distinct assemblages (A-H) have been identified within G. duodenalis; assemblages A and B are those specific to humans and animals, and assemblages C to H are restricted to animal hosts. Methodology: The present study estimated the prevalence of G. duodenalis assemblages in dogs living in the Sardinia region and evaluated the related risk factors. Individual fecal samples were collected from 655 dogs between January 2007 and December 2010, and a form was filled out for each animal to analyze historic data that were available at the time of sampling. Fecal samples were subjected to microscopic and genetic investigations. Results: Cysts of G. duodenalis were found in 172 (26.3%) samples, with significant values in puppies between three and nine months of age, and in kennelled and hunting dogs. The molecular characterization showed the presence of assemblages D (49%), C (36.1%), and subtype A2 (4.2%). Conclusion: The present survey contributes to the knowledge of the occurrence of canine giardiosis in Italy in a region with a high number of dogs and numerous animal movements, which is especially relevant for touristic reasons.</br

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

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