Aelurostrongylus abstrusus

Aelurostrongylus abstrusus

Aeurostrongylus abstrusus - Courtesy of the Laboratory of Parasitology, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine

• The cat lungworm - a typical metastrongyloid.
• Adults are small (approximately 1cm), and live in the lung parenchyma and small bronchioles.
• Life-Cycle:

→ L1 with kinky tail in faeces

→ mollusc intermediate host

→ cat infected either by eating an infected mollusc, or by eating a paratenic host that has eaten an infected mollusc

• Infections often asymptomatic, but can cause serious respiratory problems, especially in immunocompromised cats.

Aelurostrongylosis

• Often asymptomatic; serious respiratory problems usually due to deficient immunity.
• Prognosis poor.
• Post mortem examination reveals greenish nodules in lungs.
• Histopathology diferentiates these from tuberculosis.

Fenbendazole is licensed for treatment.

• Live in lung parenchyma and small bronchioles
• Grossly:
  • Firm yellow nodules scattered throughout parenchyma, more frequently at periphery
• Microscopically:
  • Eggs and larvae in the alveolar spaces cause a foreign body type reaction (surrounded by mononuclear cells and giant cells)
  • Submucosal gland hypertrophy and smooth muscle hypertrophy in airway and vessel walls
• Associated clinical signs are mild although heavy infestations may -> chronic coughing
• The airway eosinophilia which may be detected can be confused with a diagnosis of asthma