Capillaria spp. (1) Flashcards
What are the final hosts?
Dogs
Cats
Birds
What are the intermediate hosts?
Earthworm
Describe an adult
Thin, hairlike
Not visible to the naked eye
1-5 cm long
Narrow stichosome
Esophagus occupies half of body length
Species differentiated based on male bursa and female head and vulva
Describe an egg
Resembles Trichuris (have 2 bipolar plugs)
More barrel-shaped
Lighter in color
Describe the life cycle
Direct or indirect - depends on species
L1 infective in IH or in egg
Explain the direct life cycle
Adult in lungs
Eggs coughed up and swallowed
Eggs in intestine
Eggs excreted
L1 develops in egg
Egg with L1 ingested by dog or cat
Explain the indirect life cycle
Adults in urinary bladder
Eggs excreted in urine
L1 develops in egg
Egg with L1 ingested ingested by dog or earthworm
In earthworm develop to infective stage
Earthworm is ingested by dog
What are the sites of infection?
Airways
Intestinal tract
Bladder of cats and dogs
Throughout the alimentary tract of birds
Describe the Pathogenesis
Cat and Dog species - relatively non-pathogenic
Bird species - Highly pathogenic
Host specific
- Dogs/cats - Normally asymptomatic
- Birds - some species can cause severe clinical signs
- Occurs in small intestine
- Capillaria obsingnata - important species in birds (prominent in
pigeons)
How do you diagnose in dogs and cats?
Eggs seen in feces, urine, or bronchial swab
How do you diagnose in birds?
Anemia
Mortality
Necropsy - careful examination of esophagus, crop, and small and
large intestine is required to determine infecting species
How do you treat and prevent?
Several Anthelmintics reported
Control of intermediate hosts
What is important about Capillaria spp.?
Some are ZOONOTIC
