Tritrichomonas foetus infection, a cause of chronic diarrhea in the domestic cat

Abstract

Tritrichomonas foetus is a very intriguing trichomonad protozoan with respect to its varied choice of residence in the different host species. It is an obligate parasite of the reproductive and the gastrointestinal tract of bovine and feline host respectively, leading to trichomonosis. Bovine trichomonosis is a sexually transmitted disease whereas feline trichomonosis is a disease with a purported fecal-oral route of spread. Further, the trichomonad is a commensal in the nasal passages, stomach, cecum and colon of swine host. Advances have been exponential in understanding the trichomonad biology and specifically feline trichomonosis since late 1990s and early 2000s when T. foetus was soundly determined to be a causative agent of chronic diarrhea in the domestic cat. It is a challenging task, even for a skilled investigator not to mention the busy clinical veterinarian, to keep up with the vast volume of information. Here we comprehensively reviewed the trichomonad biology, clinical manifestations, pathogenesis, host immunity, world map of distribution, risk factors, diagnosis and treatment. Risk factors associated with T. foetus-positive status in the domestic cat include young age, purebred, history of diarrhea, co-infections with other enteral pathogens. In addition, molecular similarity of bovine and feline isolates of T. foetus in DNA sequence was concisely discussed. The data presented serve as an information source for veterinarians, and investigators who are interested in biology of T. foetus and feline trichomonosis.

Detection of natural occurrence of Tritrichomonas foetus in cats in Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil

“…The transmission route, if the cattle for the cat or the opposite, is an issue discussed by some authors (Stockdale et al 2007, Stockdale et al 2008, Slapeta et al 2012, Reinmann et al 2012) and molecular studies still disagree about the genetic identity of T. foetus (Yao & Kӧster 2015). Until now, the genetic sequence isolated in the present study may be classified as "cat genotype" like suggested by Slapeta et al (2010), because this sequence showed the same single nucleotide polymorphism (T> C) in the ITS2 region.…”

“…Molecular diagnosis is a good choice mainly in the absence of viable organisms in fecal samples, reducing the false negative diagnosis (Holliday et al 2009, Doi et al 2012, Tysnes et al 2011) and even the false positive diagnosis using other methods such as direct examination of feces and cultivation (Miró et al 2011). According to the literature, it is difficult to differentiate T. foetus from the Pentatrichomonas Detection of natural occurrence of Tritrichomonas foetus in cats in Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil hominis, a commensal trichomonad of cats, especially by direct examination of feces (Gookin et al 2007, Yao & Kӧster 2015. However, even the PCR may have limitations for diagnosis (Hale et al 2009).…”

“…Other risk factor, also the most important, is multi-cat household (Gruffydd-Jones et al 2013, Yao & Kӧster 2015, since the trophozoites do not persist for a long time out in the environment and cats become infected probably through close contact, specially by mutual grooming (Tolbert & Gookin 2009, Gruffydd-Jones et al 2013.…”

“…The occurrence of T. foetus in cats has been cited as worldwide distribution (Yao & Kӧster 2015). It has been reported in several countries such as United Kingdom (Gunn-Moore et al 2007), The United States of America (Stockdale et al 2009), Switzerland (Frey et al 2009), Italy (Holliday et al 2009), Australia (Bell et al 2010), South Korea (Lim et al 2010), New Zealand (Kingsbury et al 2010), Greece (Xenoulis et al 2010), Germany (Kuehner et al 2011), Spain (Miró et al 2011), Norway (Tysnes et al 2011), Japan (Doi et al 2012), Canada (Hosein et al 2013) and France (Profizi et al 2013).…”

Systematics, biology and invasiology of trichomonads (Trichomonadida) - the current state of knowledge

“…Prace wielu autorów potwierdzają szeroką specyficzność T. foetus. Uważany dawniej za pasożyta swoistego układu rozrodczego przeżuwaczy, dziś jest postrzegany jako niewyspecjalizowany topowo, oligokseniczny rzęsistek mogący zasiedlać także jelito grube kotów i psów, jamę nosową, żołądek i jelita świń oraz układ pokarmowy małp (32,54,65,79,89,99). Istnieje także potwierdzony przypadek zapalenia płuc u 54-letniej pacjentki zarażonej T. foetus i Pneumocystis sp., chorej na AIDS i cukrzycę typu 2 (26).…”