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Angela Di Cesare - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Seroprevalence of antibodies against the cat lungworm Aelurostrongylus abstrusus in cats from endemic areas of Italy.
Veterinary parasitology, 2019Co-Authors: Angela Di Cesare, Donato Traversa, Paolo Emidio Crisi, Fabrizia Veronesi, Simone Morelli, Emily Katharina Gueldner, Christina Strube, Fabrizio Pampurini, Manuela SchnyderAbstract:Aelurostrongylus abstrusus (Nematoda, Metastrongyloidea) is a worldwide occurring lungworm causing verminous pneumonia in cats. To date the Baermann method is the most used procedure to diagnose A. abstrusus infection by isolating first stage larvae from faeces, though its sensitivity and specificity can be impaired by several factors. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of antibodies against A. abstrusus has been recently developed as a diagnostic alternative. The present study evaluated the seroprevalence for A. abstrusus infection in cats from two endemic areas of Italy. Overall, 250 sera were sampled and tested for the presence of antibodies against A. abstrusus. Based on the results obtained from 20 cats proven to be infected by A. abstrusus using Baermann technique and molecular methods, and from 20 negative cats (Subset A), a cut off value of 0.347 optical density (OD) was determined, leading to a sensitivity of 95% and a specificity of 100%. Two-hundred and ten cats (142 and 68 from Abruzzo and Umbria regions, respectively) were included in Subset B (i.e. 202 negative by Baermann examination and 8 positive for Troglostrongylus brevior). Antibodies against A. abstrusus were detected in forty-five (21.4%, 95% CI: 16.1-27.6%) samples. This study confirms the occurrence of A. abstrusus in endemic areas of Italy and indicates that one-fifth of randomly selected cats have or had a lungworm infection with production of antibodies.
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Severe Verminous Pneumonia Caused by Natural Mixed Infection with Aelurostrongylus abstrusus and Angiostrongylus chabaudi in a European Wildcat from Western Balkan Area
Acta Parasitologica, 2019Co-Authors: Oliver Stevanović, Anastasia Diakou, Simone Morelli, Smiljana Paraš, Igor Trbojević, Drago Nedić, Željko Sladojević, Dragan Kasagić, Angela Di CesareAbstract:Aims Aelurostrongylus abstrusus (Railliet, 1898) and Angiostrongylus chabaudi (Biocca, 1957) are important cardiopulmonary metastrongyloids in felids. This case report describes, for the first time, a natural and patent mixed infection caused by A. abstrusus and A. chabaudi in a European wildcat ( Felis silvestris silvestris ) from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Most important, this is a rare report of fatal parasitism in wildlife, involving a severe verminous bronchopneumonia and gastrointestinal nematode and cestode infection with Toxocara cati , Taenia taeniaeformis , Aonchotheca putorii, and Ancylostoma spp. Results Emphasis is set to detailed description of granulomatous, interstitial verminous bronchopneumonia, morphological description of A. abstrusus and A. chabaudi, and molecular confirmation of diagnosis by triplex PCR. Conclusion The data provided in this study contribute to the knowledge on the epizootiology and pathological effect of these neglected metastrongyloids in European wildcat.
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Mitochondrial haplotypes of Aelurostrongylus abstrusus and Troglostrongylus brevior (Nematoda, Metastrongyloidea) from domestic and wild felids
Parasitology Research, 2017Co-Authors: Donato Traversa, Raffaella Iorio, Fabrizia Veronesi, Giulia Simonato, Anastasia Diakou, Federica Marcer, Angela Di CesareAbstract:The lungworm Aelurostrongylus abstrusus is the most important respiratory parasite of domestic cats. Pulmonary aelurostrongylosis has been reported in wild felids, though unequivocally evidence of wildlife infection by A . abstrusus is scant. Recently, Troglostrongylus brevior , a lungworm usually infecting wild felids, has been described in domestic cats from Mediterranean areas. The present work evaluates the sequence variation of an informative region within the gene encoding the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 of A . abstrusus and T . brevior , in order to provide novel information on the genetic make-up of these lungworms. Parasitic stages of A . abstrusus and T . brevior were collected from domestic and wild hosts (i.e., domestic cat, European wildcat, caracal, serval, and lion) from Italy, Greece, and South Africa. Five (HI-HV) and four (HI-HIV) haplotypes were recorded for A . abstrusus and T . brevior , respectively, mostly shared between domestic and wild felids in different geographical areas. The phylogenetic analysis showed that all haplotypes of A . abstrusus and T . brevior clustered as monophyletic groups with a strong nodal support, indicating that all haplotypes identified were distinct from each other. All sequence types represent two distinct species, A . abstrusus and T . brevior , and these genetic convergences are also detected within and among populations of these nematodes, irrespective of their hosts and geographical origin. The occurrence of A . abstrusus and T . brevior haplotypes in different hosts from the same regions and between different countries indicates that the same lungworm populations circulate in domestic and wild hosts under the same routes of transmission.
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Aelurostrongylus abstrusus in wild felids of South Africa
Parasitology Research, 2016Co-Authors: Angela Di Cesare, Francesca Laiacona, Raffaella Iorio, Marianna Marangi, Alessia MenegottoAbstract:The increasing interest on respiratory nematodes of domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus) has recently stimulated several studies on their epidemiology and geographic distribution. At the same time, there are still important gaps in our knowledge of the infections caused by respiratory nematodes in wild felids. The present study investigated the occurrence of pulmonary parasites in wild hosts housed in sanctuaries and protected areas of South Africa. Faecal samples collected from seven species of wild felids living in three study sites were copromicroscopically and genetically examined. Of twenty-one samples six, i.e. three from caracals (Caracal caracal), two from lions (Panthera leo) and one from a serval (Leptailurus serval), scored positive for the metastrongyloid Aelurostrongylus abstrusus at copromicroscopic and/or molecular tests. No other lungworms were recorded. The occurrence of the cosmopolitan cat lungworm A. abstrusus in wild hosts has been so far questioned. Importantly, the present findings represent an unequivocal evidence of the capability of A. abstrusus to infect some species of wild felids. Further studies are warranted to understand the epidemiological patterns of lungworms in wild and domestic felids, and to better investigate the impact of these parasitoses on health and welfare of wild animals.
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Occurrence of Aelurostrongylus abstrusus and Troglostrongylus brevior in domestic cats in Greece
Parasites & vectors, 2015Co-Authors: Anastasia Diakou, Angela Di Cesare, Luciano A. Barros, Simone Morelli, Lénaïg Halos, Frederic Beugnet, Donato TraversaAbstract:Background Despite the evidence that Mediterranean Europe offers suitable conditions for the biology of felid respiratory metastrongyloids, no updated data on the presence of felid lungworms are available for Greece. Although the cat lungworm Aelurostrongylus abstrusus is considered as enzootic in domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus) living in some areas of continental Greece, conversely, Troglostrongylus brevior, has only been reported in the island of Crete. The present study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of Aelurostrongylus abstrusus and Troglostrongylus brevior in domestic cats from four different Greek locations including islands where European wildcats (Felis silvestris silvestris), believed to be the natural reservoir of T. brevior, are considered absent.
Domenico Otranto - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Serological survey and risk factors of Aelurostrongylus abstrusus infection among owned cats in Italy
Parasitology Research, 2019Co-Authors: Maria Alfonsa Cavalera, Vito Colella, E. Brianti, Manuela Schnyder, Emily Katharina Gueldner, Tommaso Furlanello, Roberta Iatta, Christina Strube, Domenico OtrantoAbstract:Feline lungworms affect the respiratory tract of domestic cats causing respiratory conditions of various degrees. In this study, we investigated the exposure of cats to feline lungworm infections by detecting antibodies in a large population of animals from several regions of Italy. Sera of 1087 domestic cats living in regions of the north ( n = 700), the centre ( n = 227) and the south ( n = 160) of Italy were examined by a newly developed indirect ELISA conceived for detection of antibodies against the most frequently occurring feline lungworm Aelurostrongylus abstrusus . Individual cat data (i.e., age, sex, neutering status and provenience) were analysed as potential risk factors for exposure to lungworm infections. Samples were additionally screened for feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) proviral DNAs. Overall, 9% (98/1087; 95% confidence interval (CI) 7.4–10.9%) of the animals tested seropositive to lungworm antibodies. Positive cats were identified in the north (7.1%; CI 5.5–9.3%), in the centre (5.3%; CI 3.0–9.0%) and in the South (22.5%; CI 16.7–29.6%), with more seropositive animals in the latter area ( p
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serological survey and risk factors of Aelurostrongylus abstrusus infection among owned cats in italy
Parasitology Research, 2019Co-Authors: Maria Alfonsa Cavalera, Vito Colella, E. Brianti, Manuela Schnyder, Emily Katharina Gueldner, Tommaso Furlanello, Roberta Iatta, Christina Strube, Domenico OtrantoAbstract:Feline lungworms affect the respiratory tract of domestic cats causing respiratory conditions of various degrees. In this study, we investigated the exposure of cats to feline lungworm infections by detecting antibodies in a large population of animals from several regions of Italy. Sera of 1087 domestic cats living in regions of the north (n = 700), the centre (n = 227) and the south (n = 160) of Italy were examined by a newly developed indirect ELISA conceived for detection of antibodies against the most frequently occurring feline lungworm Aelurostrongylus abstrusus. Individual cat data (i.e., age, sex, neutering status and provenience) were analysed as potential risk factors for exposure to lungworm infections. Samples were additionally screened for feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) proviral DNAs. Overall, 9% (98/1087; 95% confidence interval (CI) 7.4-10.9%) of the animals tested seropositive to lungworm antibodies. Positive cats were identified in the north (7.1%; CI 5.5-9.3%), in the centre (5.3%; CI 3.0-9.0%) and in the South (22.5%; CI 16.7-29.6%), with more seropositive animals in the latter area (p < 0.05). The risk of lungworm infection in cats was significantly associated with age less than 6 months (i.e. 24.4%, p < 0.05) and FIV infection (p < 0.05). This large-scale serological survey confirms the exposure of cats to lungworm infections in Italy and that serological tests can be used to assess the distribution of lungworm infections in large populations of animals.
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Mice as paratenic hosts of Aelurostrongylus abstrusus.
Parasites & vectors, 2019Co-Authors: Vito Colella, Martin Knaus, Steffen Rehbein, Olimpia Lai, Carlo Cantile, Francesca Abramo, Domenico OtrantoAbstract:Background Several species of nematodes included in the superfamily Metastrongyloidea are recognized agents of parasitic infections in felines. Aelurostrongylus abstrusus is the most prevalent species affecting the respiratory system of domestic cats. The route of infection in cats is supposed to be through ingestion of gastropod intermediate or paratenic hosts. However, because gastropods are not the preferred preys of cats, rodents were suggested to play an important role as paratenic hosts in the biological cycle of A. abstrusus and in the epidemiology of aelurostrongylosis.
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Mice as paratenic hosts of Aelurostrongylus abstrusus
BMC, 2019Co-Authors: Vito Colella, Martin Knaus, Steffen Rehbein, Olimpia Lai, Carlo Cantile, Francesca Abramo, Domenico OtrantoAbstract:Abstract Background Several species of nematodes included in the superfamily Metastrongyloidea are recognized agents of parasitic infections in felines. Aelurostrongylus abstrusus is the most prevalent species affecting the respiratory system of domestic cats. The route of infection in cats is supposed to be through ingestion of gastropod intermediate or paratenic hosts. However, because gastropods are not the preferred preys of cats, rodents were suggested to play an important role as paratenic hosts in the biological cycle of A. abstrusus and in the epidemiology of aelurostrongylosis. Results Two studies were conducted to document histopathological tissue lesions in mice experimentally infected with A. abstrusus third-stage larvae (L3) (Study 1), and to determine larval counts in their organs (Study 2). Additionally, cats were fed with experimentally infected mice to assess their infectivity. Aelurostrongylus abstrusus L3 were recovered from the liver, spleen, brain, skeletal muscle and gastrointestinal tract tissues by artificial digestion, and heart, spleen and brain tested positive for A. abstrusus at molecular diagnosis. Multifocal encephalitis and meningitis and glial nodules were the most common histopathological lesions found in mice inoculated with A. abstrusus. All cats shed first-stage larvae of A. abstrusus after ingestion of mice inoculated with this nematode. Conclusions In this study, we provide information on the anatomical localization, histopathological alterations and rate of recovery of A. abstrusus L3 in mice, and confirm their infectivity to cats (definitive hosts) after feeding on infected mice (paratenic hosts). Data presented here add knowledge to further understand the biology of A. abstrusus in mice and underline the importance of mice as paratenic hosts of this nematode for the infection of cats
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The cockroach Periplaneta americana as a potential paratenic host of the lungworm Aelurostrongylus abstrusus
Experimental parasitology, 2017Co-Authors: Luigi Falsone, Vito Colella, E. Brianti, Ettore Napoli, Domenico OtrantoAbstract:Abstract Introduction Aelurostrongylus abstrusus is a well-known nematode affecting the respiratory system of felids worldwide. Snails and slugs act as intermediate hosts of this parasite, whereas rodents, birds and reptiles may serve as paratenic hosts. Periplaneta americana, the American brown cockroach, shares the same habitat and ecological features (e.g. nocturnal activity) with both snails and cats. The aim of this study was to evaluate the capability of P. americana to maintain alive A. abstrusus third stage larvae (L3s) after artificial inoculation. Material and methods Twenty-five specimens of P. americana were infected with 100 A. abstrusus L3s collected from experimentally infected Cornu aspersum snails, whereas five specimens were used as control group. After the infection, cockroaches were maintained in individual plastic boxes until dissection for the presence of L3s at 1 (T1), 5 (T5), 10 (T10), 15 (T15), and 20 (T20) days post-infection. Results Except for T15, alive A. abstrusus L3s (n = 63) were found at all time-points, being 26, 19, 16 and 2 L3s retrieved at T1, T5, T10 and T20, respectively. Eleven (17.4%) L3s were found within the digestive tract, 10 (15.9%) in other-than-digestive organs and 42 (66.7%) in the exoskeleton and associated tissues. Nine out of the twenty-five experimentally inoculated cockroaches (36%) died soon after the artificial infection (T1), while in the control group, two out of the five (40%) died before the end of the study (T15) with no difference in the mortality rate between groups. Discussion Results of this study suggest that P. americana could act as a paratenic host of A. abstrusus. Periplaneta americana cockroaches, have a ubiquitous distribution and may be preyed by cats, representing a potential source of infection to cats living in endemic areas.
Donato Traversa - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Fatal Pulmonary Hypertension and Right-Sided Congestive Heart Failure in a Kitten Infected with Aelurostrongylus abstrusus
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI, 2020Co-Authors: Tommaso Vezzosi, Donato Traversa, Simone Morelli, Stefania Perrucci, Francesca Parisi, Michela Maestrini, Giulia Mennuni, Alessandro PoliAbstract: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.
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Seroprevalence of antibodies against the cat lungworm Aelurostrongylus abstrusus in cats from endemic areas of Italy.
Veterinary parasitology, 2019Co-Authors: Angela Di Cesare, Donato Traversa, Paolo Emidio Crisi, Fabrizia Veronesi, Simone Morelli, Emily Katharina Gueldner, Christina Strube, Fabrizio Pampurini, Manuela SchnyderAbstract:Aelurostrongylus abstrusus (Nematoda, Metastrongyloidea) is a worldwide occurring lungworm causing verminous pneumonia in cats. To date the Baermann method is the most used procedure to diagnose A. abstrusus infection by isolating first stage larvae from faeces, though its sensitivity and specificity can be impaired by several factors. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of antibodies against A. abstrusus has been recently developed as a diagnostic alternative. The present study evaluated the seroprevalence for A. abstrusus infection in cats from two endemic areas of Italy. Overall, 250 sera were sampled and tested for the presence of antibodies against A. abstrusus. Based on the results obtained from 20 cats proven to be infected by A. abstrusus using Baermann technique and molecular methods, and from 20 negative cats (Subset A), a cut off value of 0.347 optical density (OD) was determined, leading to a sensitivity of 95% and a specificity of 100%. Two-hundred and ten cats (142 and 68 from Abruzzo and Umbria regions, respectively) were included in Subset B (i.e. 202 negative by Baermann examination and 8 positive for Troglostrongylus brevior). Antibodies against A. abstrusus were detected in forty-five (21.4%, 95% CI: 16.1-27.6%) samples. This study confirms the occurrence of A. abstrusus in endemic areas of Italy and indicates that one-fifth of randomly selected cats have or had a lungworm infection with production of antibodies.
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Mitochondrial haplotypes of Aelurostrongylus abstrusus and Troglostrongylus brevior (Nematoda, Metastrongyloidea) from domestic and wild felids
Parasitology Research, 2017Co-Authors: Donato Traversa, Raffaella Iorio, Fabrizia Veronesi, Giulia Simonato, Anastasia Diakou, Federica Marcer, Angela Di CesareAbstract:The lungworm Aelurostrongylus abstrusus is the most important respiratory parasite of domestic cats. Pulmonary aelurostrongylosis has been reported in wild felids, though unequivocally evidence of wildlife infection by A . abstrusus is scant. Recently, Troglostrongylus brevior , a lungworm usually infecting wild felids, has been described in domestic cats from Mediterranean areas. The present work evaluates the sequence variation of an informative region within the gene encoding the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 of A . abstrusus and T . brevior , in order to provide novel information on the genetic make-up of these lungworms. Parasitic stages of A . abstrusus and T . brevior were collected from domestic and wild hosts (i.e., domestic cat, European wildcat, caracal, serval, and lion) from Italy, Greece, and South Africa. Five (HI-HV) and four (HI-HIV) haplotypes were recorded for A . abstrusus and T . brevior , respectively, mostly shared between domestic and wild felids in different geographical areas. The phylogenetic analysis showed that all haplotypes of A . abstrusus and T . brevior clustered as monophyletic groups with a strong nodal support, indicating that all haplotypes identified were distinct from each other. All sequence types represent two distinct species, A . abstrusus and T . brevior , and these genetic convergences are also detected within and among populations of these nematodes, irrespective of their hosts and geographical origin. The occurrence of A . abstrusus and T . brevior haplotypes in different hosts from the same regions and between different countries indicates that the same lungworm populations circulate in domestic and wild hosts under the same routes of transmission.
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Occurrence of Aelurostrongylus abstrusus and Troglostrongylus brevior in domestic cats in Greece
Parasites & vectors, 2015Co-Authors: Anastasia Diakou, Angela Di Cesare, Luciano A. Barros, Simone Morelli, Lénaïg Halos, Frederic Beugnet, Donato TraversaAbstract:Background Despite the evidence that Mediterranean Europe offers suitable conditions for the biology of felid respiratory metastrongyloids, no updated data on the presence of felid lungworms are available for Greece. Although the cat lungworm Aelurostrongylus abstrusus is considered as enzootic in domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus) living in some areas of continental Greece, conversely, Troglostrongylus brevior, has only been reported in the island of Crete. The present study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of Aelurostrongylus abstrusus and Troglostrongylus brevior in domestic cats from four different Greek locations including islands where European wildcats (Felis silvestris silvestris), believed to be the natural reservoir of T. brevior, are considered absent.
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Metastrongyloid infection by Aelurostrongylus abstrusus, Troglostrongylus brevior and Angiostrongylus chabaudi in a domestic cat.
International journal for parasitology, 2015Co-Authors: Donato Traversa, Fabrizia Veronesi, Giulia Simonato, Elvio Lepri, Barbara Paoletti, Manuela Diaferia, Angela Di CesareAbstract:The “cat lungworm”, Aelurostrongylus abstrusus, affects cats worldwide. Recently, other cardio-pulmonary parasites, e.g. Troglostrongylus brevior and Angiostrongylus chabaudi, have been isolated from cats either for the first time or a long time after they were first described. This paper describes the first known mixed infection by A. abstrusus, T. brevior and A. chabaudi in a domestic cat. Biological and epidemiological implications of old and “new” metastrongyloid-caused infections in cats are discussed.
E. Brianti - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Effect of different temperatures on survival and development of Aelurostrongylus abstrusus (Railliet, 1898) larvae.
Journal of helminthology, 2020Co-Authors: Ettore Napoli, F. Arfuso, G. Gaglio, J.m. Abbate, S. Giannetto, E. BriantiAbstract:Aim of the study was to get in-depth information on Aelurostrongylus abstrusus first-stage larvae (L1s) survival at different temperatures and to assess the capability of these larvae to develop into the third infective stage (L3s). Faeces of a naturally infected cat were split into two aliquots: the first was divided in subsamples assigned to four groups (F1-F4); from the second aliquot, L1s were extracted by Baermann technique, suspended in water and divided into four groups (W1-W4). Groups were stored at different temperatures (F1/W1 -20 ± 1°C; F2/W2 +4 ± 1°C; F3/W3 +14 ± 1°C; and F4/W4 +28 ± 1°C) and L1s vitality assessed every seven days. The capability of L1s stored in water to develop into L3s in snails was evaluated at the beginning and every 21 days. The L1s of W2 and F2 groups remained viable for a longer period (231 and 56 days, respectively) compared to those of other groups. The capability of L1s to moult into L3s in snails showed a decreasing trend; the group W2's L1s maintained the capability to moult into L3s for the longest time (day 189) compared to the other groups. The time of survival of A. abstrusus L1s is influenced by temperature. However, the species seems to be more resistant to temperature variations than other feline lungworms, and this may explain its wider distribution across Europe.
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Serological survey and risk factors of Aelurostrongylus abstrusus infection among owned cats in Italy
Parasitology Research, 2019Co-Authors: Maria Alfonsa Cavalera, Vito Colella, E. Brianti, Manuela Schnyder, Emily Katharina Gueldner, Tommaso Furlanello, Roberta Iatta, Christina Strube, Domenico OtrantoAbstract:Feline lungworms affect the respiratory tract of domestic cats causing respiratory conditions of various degrees. In this study, we investigated the exposure of cats to feline lungworm infections by detecting antibodies in a large population of animals from several regions of Italy. Sera of 1087 domestic cats living in regions of the north ( n = 700), the centre ( n = 227) and the south ( n = 160) of Italy were examined by a newly developed indirect ELISA conceived for detection of antibodies against the most frequently occurring feline lungworm Aelurostrongylus abstrusus . Individual cat data (i.e., age, sex, neutering status and provenience) were analysed as potential risk factors for exposure to lungworm infections. Samples were additionally screened for feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) proviral DNAs. Overall, 9% (98/1087; 95% confidence interval (CI) 7.4–10.9%) of the animals tested seropositive to lungworm antibodies. Positive cats were identified in the north (7.1%; CI 5.5–9.3%), in the centre (5.3%; CI 3.0–9.0%) and in the South (22.5%; CI 16.7–29.6%), with more seropositive animals in the latter area ( p
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serological survey and risk factors of Aelurostrongylus abstrusus infection among owned cats in italy
Parasitology Research, 2019Co-Authors: Maria Alfonsa Cavalera, Vito Colella, E. Brianti, Manuela Schnyder, Emily Katharina Gueldner, Tommaso Furlanello, Roberta Iatta, Christina Strube, Domenico OtrantoAbstract:Feline lungworms affect the respiratory tract of domestic cats causing respiratory conditions of various degrees. In this study, we investigated the exposure of cats to feline lungworm infections by detecting antibodies in a large population of animals from several regions of Italy. Sera of 1087 domestic cats living in regions of the north (n = 700), the centre (n = 227) and the south (n = 160) of Italy were examined by a newly developed indirect ELISA conceived for detection of antibodies against the most frequently occurring feline lungworm Aelurostrongylus abstrusus. Individual cat data (i.e., age, sex, neutering status and provenience) were analysed as potential risk factors for exposure to lungworm infections. Samples were additionally screened for feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) proviral DNAs. Overall, 9% (98/1087; 95% confidence interval (CI) 7.4-10.9%) of the animals tested seropositive to lungworm antibodies. Positive cats were identified in the north (7.1%; CI 5.5-9.3%), in the centre (5.3%; CI 3.0-9.0%) and in the South (22.5%; CI 16.7-29.6%), with more seropositive animals in the latter area (p < 0.05). The risk of lungworm infection in cats was significantly associated with age less than 6 months (i.e. 24.4%, p < 0.05) and FIV infection (p < 0.05). This large-scale serological survey confirms the exposure of cats to lungworm infections in Italy and that serological tests can be used to assess the distribution of lungworm infections in large populations of animals.
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The cockroach Periplaneta americana as a potential paratenic host of the lungworm Aelurostrongylus abstrusus
Experimental parasitology, 2017Co-Authors: Luigi Falsone, Vito Colella, E. Brianti, Ettore Napoli, Domenico OtrantoAbstract:Abstract Introduction Aelurostrongylus abstrusus is a well-known nematode affecting the respiratory system of felids worldwide. Snails and slugs act as intermediate hosts of this parasite, whereas rodents, birds and reptiles may serve as paratenic hosts. Periplaneta americana, the American brown cockroach, shares the same habitat and ecological features (e.g. nocturnal activity) with both snails and cats. The aim of this study was to evaluate the capability of P. americana to maintain alive A. abstrusus third stage larvae (L3s) after artificial inoculation. Material and methods Twenty-five specimens of P. americana were infected with 100 A. abstrusus L3s collected from experimentally infected Cornu aspersum snails, whereas five specimens were used as control group. After the infection, cockroaches were maintained in individual plastic boxes until dissection for the presence of L3s at 1 (T1), 5 (T5), 10 (T10), 15 (T15), and 20 (T20) days post-infection. Results Except for T15, alive A. abstrusus L3s (n = 63) were found at all time-points, being 26, 19, 16 and 2 L3s retrieved at T1, T5, T10 and T20, respectively. Eleven (17.4%) L3s were found within the digestive tract, 10 (15.9%) in other-than-digestive organs and 42 (66.7%) in the exoskeleton and associated tissues. Nine out of the twenty-five experimentally inoculated cockroaches (36%) died soon after the artificial infection (T1), while in the control group, two out of the five (40%) died before the end of the study (T15) with no difference in the mortality rate between groups. Discussion Results of this study suggest that P. americana could act as a paratenic host of A. abstrusus. Periplaneta americana cockroaches, have a ubiquitous distribution and may be preyed by cats, representing a potential source of infection to cats living in endemic areas.
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Evaluation of different methods for the experimental infection of the land snail Helix aspersa with Aelurostrongylus abstrusus lungworm
Veterinary parasitology, 2016Co-Authors: Ettore Napoli, Vito Colella, Domenico Otranto, G. Gaglio, S. Giannetto, Luigi Falsone, E. BriantiAbstract:Abstract The laboratory maintenance of parasitic life cycles is crucial to support research in many fields of parasitology. The land snail Helix aspersa (syn. Cornu aspersum), an intermediate host of feline lungworms Aelurostrongylus abstrusus and Troglostrongylus brevior, is adopted to produce infective stages of those nematodes in laboratory condition. The aim of this study was to compare the most common methods of experimental infection of H. aspersa with first stage larvae (L1) of A. abstrusus (i.e., contact of the snail foot with the L1) with the injection of these larvae in the foot of the snail, instrumental to reduce the infection time and to maximize the output of third-stage larvae (L3). Three groups (i.e., A, B, C) of 15 H. aspersa snails were infected with L1 of A. abstrusus (n = 250 for each snail), whereas a fourth group (group D) was not infected (control). Snails were individually placed for 48 h on a microfilm containing L1 (group A), on a potato slice previously irrigated with a suspension of L1 (group B), or they were inoculated by injection of L1 in the posterior-ventral portion of the foot (group C). Eighteen days after the infection all snails were analyzed and tissues were digested to recover L3. No difference in mortality rate was recorded among snail groups and the mean number of retrieved L3 was significantly larger in group C (71.5 ± 52.9) compared to group B (38.2 ± 44.9; p = 0.0161) and group A (19 ± 23.3; p
Anja Taubert - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Occurrence of canine and feline lungworms in Arion vulgaris in a park of Vienna: First report of autochthonous Angiostrongylus vasorum, Aelurostrongylus abstrusus and Troglostrongylus brevior in Austria
Parasitology Research, 2020Co-Authors: Felipe Penagos-tabares, Anja Taubert, Malin K. Lange, Jörg Hirzmann, Katharina M. Groß, Christine Hoos, Carlos HermosillaAbstract:So far, neither the feline lungworms Aelurostrongylus abstrusus and Troglostrongylus brevior nor the canine lungworm Angiostrongylus vasorum was reported in wildlife or intermediate hosts from Austria. The slug Arion vulgaris represents an invasive species in Europe and serves as intermediate host for several lungworm species. This study aimed to analyse the occurrence of metastrongyloid lungworm larvae in slugs in Vienna, Austria. Therefore, 193 A. vulgaris were collected in the central Prater park in summer 2016. Specimens were artificially digested, analysed microscopically for lungworm larvae, and species were confirmed via PCR and sequencing. Out of 193, five slugs were positive to lungworms (2.6%), one for A. vasorum , two for A. abstrusus (genotypes A and B) and one for T. brevior , and one slug had a mixed infection of A. abstrusus and T. brevior larvae. The current study is the first evidence on the endemicity of these metastrongyloid lungworm species in Austria.
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Mono- and co-infections with Aelurostrongylus abstrusus, Angiostrongylus vasorum, Crenosoma vulpis and Troglostrongylus brevior, unknown Aelurostrongylus sp. and Angiostrongylus sp.
2019Co-Authors: Felipe Penagos-tabares, Carlos Hermosilla, Anja Taubert, Malin K. Lange, Juan Vélez, Jörg Hirzmann, Jesed Gutiérrez-arboleda, Jenny Chaparro J. GutiérrezAbstract:Mono- and co-infections with Aelurostrongylus abstrusus, Angiostrongylus vasorum, Crenosoma vulpis and Troglostrongylus brevior, unknown Aelurostrongylus sp. and Angiostrongylus sp.
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Angiostrongylus vasorum and Aelurostrongylus abstrusus: Neglected and underestimated parasites in South America
Parasites & Vectors, 2018Co-Authors: Felipe Penagos-tabares, Anja Taubert, Malin K. Lange, Jenny J. Chaparro-gutiérrez, Carlos HermosillaAbstract:The gastropod-borne nematodes Angiostrongylus vasorum and Aelurostrongylus abstrusus are global causes of cardio/pulmonary diseases in dogs and cats. In the last decade, the number of reports on canine and feline lungworms has increased in several areas of Europe and North America. The unspecific clinical signs and prolonged course of these diseases often renders diagnosis challenging. Both infections are considered as emerging and underestimated causes of disease in domestic pets. In South America, little information is available on these diseases, apart from occasional reports proving the principle presence of A. vasorum and A. abstrusus . Thus, the purpose of this review is to summarize reports on infections in both domestic and wildlife animals in South America and to increase the awareness on gastropod-borne metastrongyloid parasites, which also include important zoonotic species, such as A. cantonensis and A. costaricensis. This review highlights the usefulness of diagnostic tools, such as the Baermann funnel technique, serology and PCR, and proposes to include these routinely on cases with clinical suspicion for lungworm infections. Future national epidemiological surveys are recommended to be conducted to gain a deeper insight into the actual epidemiological situation of gastropod-borne parasitoses in South America.
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Prevalence of Angiostrongylus vasorum, Aelurostrongylus abstrusus and Crenosoma vulpis larvae in native slug populations in Germany.
Veterinary parasitology, 2018Co-Authors: Malin K. Lange, Felipe Penagos-tabares, Roland Schaper, Carlos Hermosilla, Jörg Hirzmann, Klaus Failing, Y.r. Van Bourgonie, Thierry Backeljau, Anja TaubertAbstract:Abstract Metastrongyloid parasites represent sparsely studied parasites of dogs and cats in Germany. Recent European surveys indicate that these parasites are spreading in Europe. Actual data on prevalence of Angiostrongylus vasorum in dogs and foxes reveal several endemic foci in Germany. However, actual data on the prevalence of A. vasorum and other metastrongyloid lungworm larvae in a wide range of slug and snail intermediate hosts, such as Arion lusitanicus, are missing for Germany. To fill this gap, we conducted an epidemiological survey on native German slugs in selected regions of Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate. The focus was on slugs, because in study areas slugs appear to be more abundant than snails. Slugs were collected throughout different seasons of the year in areas that were previously proven to be hyperendemic for A. vasorum fox infections. Overall, a total of 2701 slugs were collected and examined for lungworm larvae via artificial digestion. The number of A. vasorum larvae per slug varied considerably (1–546 larvae per specimen). Some hotspot areas with high A. vasorum prevalence in slugs (up to 19.4%) were identified. The overall A. vasorum prevalence varied with season with largest number of slugs infected in summer (9.1%) and lowest number in winter (0.8%). The current study revealed a total A. vasorum prevalence of 4.7% in slugs based on microscopic analyses. Confirmation of lungworm species was made by specific duplex-real-time PCRs. Hence, these data demonstrate that final hosts are at a permanent risk for A. vasorum infections during all seasons when living in investigated areas. Besides A. vasorum, other lungworm larvae were also detected, such as Crenosoma vulpis (the fox lungworm, 2.3%) and Aelurostrongylus abstrusus (feline lungworm, 0.2%).
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Gastropod-derived haemocyte extracellular traps entrap metastrongyloid larval stages of Angiostrongylus vasorum, Aelurostrongylus abstrusus and Troglostrongylus brevior
Parasites & Vectors, 2017Co-Authors: Malin K. Lange, Felipe Penagos-tabares, Helena Mejer, Roland Schaper, Carlos Hermosilla, Tamara Muñoz-caro, Ulrich Gärtner, Anja TaubertAbstract:Background Phagocyte-derived extracellular traps (ETs) were recently demonstrated mainly in vertebrate hosts as an important effector mechanism against invading parasites. In the present study we aimed to characterize gastropod-derived invertebrate extracellular phagocyte trap (InEPT) formation in response to larval stages of important canine and feline metastrongyloid lungworms. Gastropod haemocytes were isolated from the slug species Arion lusitanicus and Limax maximus, and the snail Achatina fulica, and exposed to larval stages of Angiostrongylus vasorum, Aelurostrongylus abstrusus and Troglostrongylus brevior and investigated for gastropod-derived InEPT formation.
