Feline platynosomiasis: analysis of the association of infection levels with pathological and biochemical findings / Platinossomiase felina: análise da associação dos níveis de infecção com achados patológicos e bioquímicos

Abstract Platynosomiasis is a common feline hepatic disease caused by Platynosomum fastosum (Trematoda - Dicrocoelidae), which is also known as ‘lizard poisoning’. Most reports of feline platynosomiasis show that this disease is sporadic and manifests with uncommon lesions; its pathogenicity is still not well understood. This study aimed to describe liver injuries and enzymatic changes associated with natural P. fastosum infection in 47 stray cats in an endemic area. Overall, 38.3% (18/47) of cats were parasitized, and 2,358 flukes (P. fastosum) were collected (131 – mean intensity of parasitism; 50.2 – mean abundance). The alanine transaminase (ALT) measure was significantly higher in parasitized animals, while alkaline phosphatase (ALP) showed no statistical difference between parasitized and non-parasitized animals. In infected animals, gross pathological lesions and microscopic liver injuries ranged from mild to severe, and were similar to those in previous descriptions of feline platynosomiasis. Nonetheless, the intensity of parasitism was not related to the severity of macroscopic or microscopic hepatic injuries. However, feline platynosomiasis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of feline liver disorders, as well as, in any program of helminth control, even if no clinical abnormalities are present.

Resumo Platinossomiase é uma doença hepática felina comum causada por Platynosomum fastosum (Trematoda - Dicrocoelidae), também é conhecida como “envenenamento por lagartixa”. A maioria dos relatos de platinossomiase felina mostra que esta doença é esporádica e se manifesta com lesões incomuns; sua patogenicidade ainda não é bem compreendida. Este estudo objetivou descrever as lesões no fígado e alterações enzimáticas associadas à infecção natural por P. fastosum em 47 gatos errantes em uma área endêmica. No total, 38,3% (18/47) dos gatos estavam parasitados, e 2.358 trematódeos (P. fastosum) foram coletados (131 – intensidade média de parasitismo; 50,2 – abundância média). A quantidade de alanina transaminase (ALT) foi significativamente maior nos animais parasitados, enquanto a fosfatase alcalina (ALP) não apresentou diferença estatística entre os animais parasitados e não parasitados. Nos animais infectados, lesões patológicas macroscópicas e microscópicas hepáticas variaram de leve a grave, e foram semelhantes a descrições anteriores de platinossomiase felina. No entanto, a intensidade do parasitismo não foi relacionada à gravidade das lesões hepáticas macroscópicas ou microscópicas. Contudo, a platinossomiase felina deve ser considerada no diagnóstico diferencial de distúrbios hepáticos em felinos, assim como, em qualquer programa de controle de helmintos, mesmo que nenhuma anormalidade clínica esteja presente.

Platynosomum fastosum (Trematoda: Dicrocoeliidae) from Cats in Vietnam: Morphological Redescription and Molecular Phylogenetics

The present study was performed to reveal the morphological characteristics and molecular phylogenetic position of Platynosomum fastosum Kossack, 1910. A total 167 specimens of P. fastosum were collected in 8 (4.9%) out of 163 sets of gall-bladders and bile ducts of cats. The number of worms was 1–105 per infected cat. This species was characterized by having a long and slender body, slightly larger ventral sucker than the oral sucker, indistinct prepharynx, small pharynx, short esophagus, bifurcation midway between 2 suckers, and ceca extending to the posterior end of the body. The length of the partial sequences of ITS1 and 5.8S rDNA of P. fastosum were 990 bp, GC-rich. AT/GC ratio was 0.9, there were 9 polymorphic sites, and intraspecific variations ranged from 0.1% to 0.9%. Phylogenetic analyses by neighbor-joining phylogram inferred from ITS1 rDNA sequences revealed that the genetic distance between P. fastosum specimens ranged from 0.3 to 1.5% while the smallest interspecific distance among dicrocoeliid species was 20.9 %. The redescription and genetic characters of P. fastosum are taxonomically important to recognize future different species of the genus Platynosomum showing high intraspecific and morphological variability.

Platynosomum fastosum Infestation in a Domestic Cat in Korea / 한국실험동물학회지

Cat liver fluke (Platynosomum fastosum) was identified upon necropsy of a Felis catus (domestic cat). This trematode has not been reported in domestic cats previously in Korea. Diagnosis of this fluke was made by the presence of eggs in the feces of the cat through the fecal sedimentation method. Flukes in the gallbladder, bile duct, and liver parenchyma were revealed by the necropsy findings. This report describes as the first case of a domestic cat with Platynosomum fastosum in Korea.

Platynosomum fastosum Infestation in a Domestic Cat in Korea / 한국실험동물학회지

Cat liver fluke (Platynosomum fastosum) was identified upon necropsy of a Felis catus (domestic cat). This trematode has not been reported in domestic cats previously in Korea. Diagnosis of this fluke was made by the presence of eggs in the feces of the cat through the fecal sedimentation method. Flukes in the gallbladder, bile duct, and liver parenchyma were revealed by the necropsy findings. This report describes as the first case of a domestic cat with Platynosomum fastosum in Korea.