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

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 December 2023

R. Fagundes-Moreira Open the ORCID record for R. Fagundes-Moreira [Opens in a new window] ,
E. Silveira Open the ORCID record for E. Silveira [Opens in a new window] ,
V. Baggio-Souza Open the ORCID record for V. Baggio-Souza [Opens in a new window] ,
S.M.T. Marques Open the ORCID record for S.M.T. Marques [Opens in a new window] ,
S.B. Vidor Open the ORCID record for S.B. Vidor [Opens in a new window] ,
S.M. de Jezus Castro ,
A. Spanamberg Open the ORCID record for A. Spanamberg [Opens in a new window] ,
L.C. Henker Open the ORCID record for L.C. Henker [Opens in a new window] ,
S.P. Pavarini Open the ORCID record for S.P. Pavarini [Opens in a new window]  and
J.F. Soares Open the ORCID record for J.F. Soares [Opens in a new window]
...Show all authors
R. Fagundes-Moreira
Affiliation:
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil Laboratório de Protozoologia e Rickettsioses Vetoriais (ProtozooVet), Faculdade de Veterinária da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
E. Silveira
Affiliation:
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
V. Baggio-Souza
Affiliation:
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil Laboratório de Protozoologia e Rickettsioses Vetoriais (ProtozooVet), Faculdade de Veterinária da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
S.M.T. Marques
Affiliation:
Laboratório de Helmintologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
S.B. Vidor
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Teaching, Research, Extension and Production in Surgery and Veterinary Anesthesiology. Instituto Federal Farroupilha, Frederico Westphalen, Brazil
S.M. de Jezus Castro
Affiliation:
Department of Statistics, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
A. Spanamberg
Affiliation:
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil Laboratório de Micologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
L.C. Henker
Affiliation:
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
S.P. Pavarini
Affiliation:
Setor de Patologia Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
J.F. Soares
Affiliation:
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil Laboratório de Protozoologia e Rickettsioses Vetoriais (ProtozooVet), Faculdade de Veterinária da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
F.V.A. da Costa*
Affiliation:
Feline Medicine Service, Veterinary Clinics Hospital, Department of Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
*
Corresponding author: F.V.A. da Costa; Email: fernanda.amorim@ufrgs.br
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Abstract

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.

Keywords

LungwormsmetastrongilidsAelurostrongylus abstrusus infectionBaermann methodPCR
Type
Research Paper
Information
Journal of Helminthology , Volume 97 , 2023 , e91
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press

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