Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with brain and spinal bleeding from lungworm infection
By Fernanda Viola Tinoco et al.·Published in Animals·2022·Clinica Veterinária Cães & Gatos, Barra do Piraí 27113-150, Brazil, CH·View original on DOAJ →
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Original publication title: Hemorrhagic Meningoencephalomyelitis Due to Ectopic Localization of <i>Aelurostrongylus abstrusus</i> in a Cat: First Case Report
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A kitten in Brazil was brought to the vet with severe lethargy, trouble swallowing, and inability to move its legs. Sadly, the kitten's condition quickly worsened, leading to paralysis and death just a few days later. A post-mortem examination revealed that a lungworm called Aelurostrongylus abstrusus had migrated to the kitten's brain and spinal cord, causing serious inflammation and bleeding in the central nervous system. This case highlights a rare but serious complication of lungworm infection in cats, emphasizing the need for further research on how often this occurs.
People also search for: kitten lethargy · cat swallowing problems · Aelurostrongylus abstrusus treatment · cat paralysis causes · lungworm in cats symptoms
Abstract
The lungworm <i>Aelurostrongylus abstrusus</i> is one of the main causes of respiratory diseases in cats worldwide. This report describes the unusual case of a kitten infected with <i>A. abstrusus</i> and presented to a veterinary clinic in Brazil with lethargy, dysphagia, non-ambulatory tetraplegia, and pelvic limbs bilateral myoclonus. The clinical picture of the kitten worsened with generalized flaccid tetraplegia and death a few days after hospitalization. At necropsy, hemorrhagic necrosis and subarachnoid hemorrhages were detected in several areas of the central nervous system. Nematode stages were found at post-mortem histological examinations in lungs, cerebellum, subarachnoid space of the brain and spinal cord. Microscopic and molecular (PCRs-coupled-sequencing protocols) examination showed the presence of <i>A. abstrusus</i> in histological samples. This study describes the first neurological aelurostrongylosis due to ectopic localization of adult worms in the central nervous system of a cat, causing acute hemorrhagic multifocal meningoencephalomyelitis. Further studies are necessary to elucidate whether unusual localizations and the migration of <i>A. abstrusus</i> are more frequent than expected.
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Search related cases →Original publication on DOAJ: https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12020128