Filaroides osleri
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FILAROIDES (= Oslerus) OSLERI
- F. osleri is atypical of the Metastrongyloidea in almost every way.
- Adults (approximately 1cm) are found in dogs clustered in fibrous nodules (few mm - 2cm) on tracheal wall (near bifurcation of trachea).
- This means that small numbers of L1 are found in the sputum, and can either be passed to the skin during grooming, or can be passed in the faeces (dead-end for life-cycle).
- Transmission from bitch to pups occurs during grooming via transfer of sputum.
- Horizontal transmission rarely, if ever, happens.
- Infection is usually asymptomatic, but if symptoms are present, there is a chronic, dry, debilitating cough - performance of greyhounds may be affected.
Filaroides Infections
- F. osleri is usually associated with particular boarding kennels.
- Diagnosis and treatment are difficult.
- The Baermann apparatus is used to recover L1 from faeces.
- Larvae are, however, few in number and have sluggish movements.
- They may, therefore, be very difficult to demonstrate in faeces or sputum.
- Endoscopy (to visualise the tracheal nodules) is often required to confirm diagnosis.