Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with massive Acanthocheilonema dracunculoides infection but no
By Muñoz, Clara et al.·Published in Parasitology international·2020·Department of Animal Health, Spain·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Massive microfilaremia in a dog subclinically infected with Acanthocheilonema dracunculoides.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 6-year-old male dog was found to have a very high number of a type of worm called Acanthocheilonema dracunculoides in his blood, even though he showed no signs of being sick. A test for another worm, Dirofilaria immitis, came back positive, which can be misleading because both worms can cause similar reactions in tests. After the dog passed away, a post-mortem exam revealed hundreds of adult worms in his body. This case highlights the importance of accurate testing before treating dogs for worm infections, as treating the wrong type can be dangerous.
People also search for: dog worm infection symptoms · Acanthocheilonema dracunculoides treatment · Dirofilaria immitis test results
Abstract
Canine filarioids are worldwide distributed nematodes transmitted by arthropods with variable virulence depending on the species. Dirofilaria immitis is the most virulent and serological antigen tests are commonly employed to detect it. This study reports on the heaviest cavity filariasis recorded so far in a dog, which showed no apparent clinical signs of infection. The 6-year-old male was positive to a D. immitis antigen test. Blood samples collected and analyzed with the modified Knott's test for microfilariae revealed 264,367 microfilariae/ml. In a post-mortem examination 791 adult filarial nematodes were found in the dog's thoracic and peritoneal cavities. Morphological and molecular analysis identified the nematode as Acanthocheilonema dracunculoides and no other species were present. This is evidence that massive A. dracunculoides infections in dogs may not be clinically evident, they may cause serologic cross-reaction with D. immitis infection and become a life-threatening condition if dogs are treated with a microfilaricidal treatment without previously performing an adequate diagnosis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32036036/