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| Also known as: | Toxocara mystax |
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
- The biology of T. cati is generally similar to that of T. canis, except that there is no prenatal transmission.
- Adults can establish in cats and other felidae.
- The prepatent period is about 8weeks.
- Somatic larvae can accumulate in a wide range of paratenic hosts.
- Larvae have been recovered from human tissues on rare occasions, but its role in VLM and OLM is unknown.