Occurrence of Aelurostrongylus abstrusus and Troglostrongylus brevior in domestic cats in Greece

Abstract

BackgroundDespite 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.MethodsFaeces were collected from 125 stray cats in the city of Athens, and in Crete, Mykonos and Skopelos Islands, and examined by copromicroscopic techniques for the presence of lungworm larvae. When present, larvae were morphologically and molecularly identified.ResultsThe occurrence of A. abstrusus and T. brevior was confirmed in 10 (8 %) and 7 (5.6 %) of the samples, respectively. In particular, T. brevior was detected in domestic cats in the city of Athens, and in Mykonos and Skopelos Islands, where wildcats are not present.ConclusionsThis information illustrates that T. brevior may infect domestic cats regardless of the presence of the natural host. Considering the relevant clinical impact of this nematode especially in young animals, it is advisable to include troglostrongylosis in the differential diagnosis of cat respiratory diseases also where this parasite is unexpected.

Detection of specific antibodies in cats infected with the lung nematode Aelurostrongylus abstrusus

“…and A. abstrusus L1, Troglostrongylus sp. have been excluded here in naturally infected cats by molecular analyses; their occurrence actually seems to be restricted to southern European countries Diakou et al, 2015;Jefferies et al, 2010). O. rostratus is a seldom diagnosed parasite (Brianti et al, 2014) and, like Troglostrongylus sp., has not been observed in Switzerland so far.…”

Updates on feline aelurostrongylosis and research priorities for the next decade

“…39.7–50 % in Albania, 1.8–22.4 % in Italy, 0.38–22 % in Croatia, 0.5–15.3 % in Germany, 3.6–10.6 % in Great Britain, 2.6 % in Holland, 14.5 % in Hungary, 17.4 % in Portugal, 5.6 % in Romania, 1 % in Spain, and in clinical cases in Belgium, France, Ireland, Norway, Poland and Turkey (reviewed in [ 46 ]). In Greece, 125 stray cats were examined in four geographical locations in continental and insular Greece, and a prevalence of 17.4 % in Athens, 2.9 % in Crete, 7 % in Mykonos and 8 % in Skopelos islands has been recorded using both Baermann and molecular methods [ 49 ]. In Denmark, the parasite has been detected in outdoor cats from different region of the country with a prevalence range of 13.6–15.6 % by performing a perfusion and lung digestion technique of dissected feral and domestic cats [ 15 ].…”

Efficacy of imidacloprid 10%/moxidectin 1% spot-on formulation (Advocate®) in the prevention and treatment of feline aelurostrongylosis

“…, approximately 8% in Denmark [5] or Greece [6], and between 10 and 38.3% in Italy [7]. The parasite may infect domestic cats and occasionally wild felids, e.g.…”