Difference between revisions of "Toxocara cati"

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==Life Cycle==
 
==Life Cycle==
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Infection occurs by ingestion of the L2 in the egg, or after ingestion of a paratenic host, or via transmammary infection.
  
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After direct ingestion of the larvae, they migrate through the liver, lungs and trachea, and then go back into the stomach, where they transform into L3.  Ingestion of a paratenic host e.g. a mouse causes the larvae to be released by digestion, and they then enter the stomach of the cat, and will moult into L3.
  
*The biology of ''T. cati'' is generally similar to that of ''[[Toxocara canis|T. canis]]'', '''except''' that there is no prenatal transmission.  
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Transmammary infection is also very important, and commonly seen throughout lactation. However, unlike ''T. canis'', prenatal infection does not occur.
*Adults can establish in cats and other felidae.
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*The prepatent period is about 8weeks.
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The prepatent period of ''T. catis'' is 8 weeks.
*Somatic larvae can accumulate in a wide range of paratenic hosts.
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*Larvae have been recovered from human tissues on rare occasions, but its role in VLM and OLM is unknown.[[Category:Ascaridoidea]][[Category:Cat Nematodes]]
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unknown.[[Category:Ascaridoidea]][[Category:Cat Nematodes]]
 
[[Category:To_Do_-_Max]]
 
[[Category:To_Do_-_Max]]

Revision as of 09:23, 16 July 2010



Also known as: Toxocara mystax
Toxocara cati egg (Image sourced from Joel Mills, Wikimedia Commons)

Toxocara cati is a nematode of the superfamily Ascaridoidea. T. cati is found worldwide, and can cause a wide range of gastrointestinal problems in infected hosts.

Hosts

Cat.

Identification

T. canis is large white worm, and the female is capable of growing up to 10cm in length. The male, similar to Toxocara canis, has a finger-like process on the tip of the tail.

The eggs have no distinct colour, but have a thick outer shell.

Life Cycle

Infection occurs by ingestion of the L2 in the egg, or after ingestion of a paratenic host, or via transmammary infection.

After direct ingestion of the larvae, they migrate through the liver, lungs and trachea, and then go back into the stomach, where they transform into L3. Ingestion of a paratenic host e.g. a mouse causes the larvae to be released by digestion, and they then enter the stomach of the cat, and will moult into L3.

Transmammary infection is also very important, and commonly seen throughout lactation. However, unlike T. canis, prenatal infection does not occur.

The prepatent period of T. catis is 8 weeks.

unknown.