Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Subcutaneous sparganosis causing cysts in two cats from Georgia
By Woldemeskel, Moges·Published in Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation : official publication of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, Inc·2014·1Moges Woldemeskel·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Subcutaneous sparganosis, a zoonotic cestodiasis, in two cats.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
Two Domestic Shorthair cats from southern Georgia were found to have unusual lumps under their skin, which turned out to be caused by a type of tapeworm larvae called sparganum. This condition, known as subcutaneous sparganosis, is rare in cats but can be a concern for both pets and humans. The veterinarians recognized these cyst-like masses as a potential sign of sparganosis and took appropriate measures to treat the cats. It's important for pet owners to be aware of this condition, especially if they notice similar lumps on their cats, and to consult their veterinarian for proper diagnosis and treatment.
People also search for: cat skin lumps treatment · sparganosis in cats · what are cysts on my cat · cat tapeworm symptoms · zoonotic infections in pets
Abstract
Sparganosis is a zoonotic cestodiasis of human beings and animals caused by plerocercoid or second-stage larvae (sparganum) of pseudophyllidean tapeworms in host tissues. Cats are among definitive hosts in which the larva develops to adult stage in the intestines. Reports on larval infection involving various tissues and organs in cats are scarce. Rare single case reports of visceral sparganosis in cats are previously documented. The present report documents an unusual subcutaneous sparganosis in 2 Domestic Shorthair cats from southern Georgia. Veterinary clinicians should consider sparganosis as differential diagnosis for subcutaneous cyst-like masses in cats. As infected animals and animal tissues are sources of human infection, sparganosis warrants public awareness and due precaution to avoid human infection.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24464556/