Difference between revisions of "Angiostrongylus vasorum"

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==Hosts==
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'''Definitive host''': Dogs and foxes.
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'''Intermediate host''': Mainly snails and slugs.
  
 
*Infects dogs and foxes.
 
*Infects dogs and foxes.

Revision as of 19:01, 19 July 2010



Also known as: Haemostrongylus vasorum

Scientific Classification

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Nematoda
Class Secernentea
Order Strongylida
Family Metastrongylidae
Genus Angiostrongylus
Species A. vasorum

Hosts

Definitive host: Dogs and foxes. Intermediate host: Mainly snails and slugs.

  • Infects dogs and foxes.
  • A typical metastrongyloid, with the adult worms living in the pulmonary arteries and the right side of the heart.

Life-Cycle

Adults (approximately 2cm), produce anticoagulants to reduce thrombus formation leading to coagulation disorders:

→ eggs laid into pulmonary arteries

→ trapped in lung capillaries

→ larvae (with merastrongyloid kinky tail) hatch out

→ alveoli (causing a small injury)

→ trachea

→ swallowed

→ passed in faeces

→ slug (intermediate host)

→ eaten by dog or fox (final hosts)

→ larvae migrate via mesenteric lymph nodes

→ blood stream

→ heart.

Epidemiology

Once restricted to Southern Ireland and Cornwall, this lungworm is spreading across the British Isles and is now endemic in the South-East. The fox may act as a reservoir of infection.

Angiostrongylosis

  • Clinical signs of angiostrongylosis are associated with:
    • accumulating lung damage caused by eggs and larvae (respiratory distress)
    • coagulation disorders caused by adult worms (bruising, haematomas, e.g. in spinal cord)
  • Diagnosis: demonstration of large numbers of L1 in faeces (with Barmann technique).

Treatment of Lungworms in Dogs and Cats

  • Angiostrongylus vasorum is easy to treat with suitable anthelmintics, but the others require high daily doses of benzimidazoles for 3-7days.
  • Two or more courses of treatment may be necessary (with a rest period between each).


  • Adult worms live in the pulmonary arteries and right side of the heart dogs and foxes
  • Cause a proliferative endoarteritis
  • More severe damage is caused however by eggs lodging in arterioles and capillaries
  • In severe infection, this can result in pneumonia and pulmonary oedema as an acute syndrome
  • Circulatory impedance can result in congestive cardiac failure
  • Particularly a problem if dogs eats snails
  • Gross:
    • Patchy white appearance with haemorrhagic areas within
  • Microscopically:
    • Golden pigment within macrophages (haemosiderin)
    • Inflammation and scarring of alveolar walls -> enlargement of remaining air spaces
  • Worms secrete anticoagulant -> haemorrhage in other parts of body
  • May present as neurological cases due to the haemorrhage
  • May cause pulmonary thromboembolism