Aelurostrongylus abstrusus (1)

Question 1

What are the final hosts?

Answer 1

Cats

Question 2

What are the intermediate hosts?

Answer 2

Snails and slugs

Question 3

What are the paratenic hosts?

Answer 3

Birds

Rodents

Frogs

Question 4

Describe an adult

Answer 4

1 cm long

Slender, delicate

Difficult to recover intact

Aggregations of parasites in lung tissues

Question 5

Describe larvae

Answer 5

L1 with kinked or S-shaped tail

Found in feces

Question 6

Explain the life cycle

Answer 6

L3 are infective - ingested, enter intestinal mucosa, pass via blood to
lungs
Adults develop in lung parenchyma and bronchioles

Eggs with L1 in “nests” in lung parenchyma - small grayish white
nodules
L1 coughed up, swallowed, passed in feces

L1 develop to L3 in intermediate host

Paratenic host consumes intermediate host

Cats become infected by ingesting intermediate host or paratenic host

Question 7

What is the site of infection?

Answer 7

Lung parenchyma and bronchioles

Question 8

Describe the Pathogenesis

Answer 8

Low pathogenicity

Most infections are discovered only incidentally at postmortem examination

Coughing

Anorexia

Dyspnea

Death

Question 9

How do you diagnose?

Answer 9

Fecal examination - Baermann

- Kinked tail L1

Question 10

How do you treat and prevent?

Answer 10

Prevent access to the intermediate and paratenic hosts

Question 11

What is the common name?

Answer 11

Cat Lungworm