Nematodes Part 1 Flashcards
Toxocara Canis
- Adult characteristics
- egg characteristics
Adults: are large nematodes. Remember ascarid said are the largest worms and are very heavy bodied.
Eggs - will FLOAT
Life cycle of Toxocara Canis
What is the infective stage of T. Canis?
- Adults found in the SI of the DH; non-embryonated eggs leave DH via feces.
- Eggs embryo ate to L1-L2 in environment.
Infective stage: egg with L2 larvae inside of it
Possible routes of transmission for the Toxocara Canis to its DH
- Direct transmission (ingestion)
- Prenatal/transuterine transmission
- Colostral/lactogenic transmission
- Ingestion of a paratenic host
Describe the life cycle of Toxocara Canis via direct transmission in a dog LESS THAN 3 months old?
They ingest infective egg with L2 larva and then undergo “tracheal migration.”
- egg hatches in duodenum
- penetrates intestine and migrates to mesenteric LN
- migrates to liver, heart, lungs
- molts to L3 in alveoli
- L3 is coughed up and swallowed into the stomach.
- molts to L4/L5 in SI - a mature adult
Describe the life cycle of Toxocara Canis via direct transmission in a dog that is GREATER THAN 3 months old?
ingest infective egg with L2 larva and then undergoes “somatic migration.”
- larva hatches from egg in duodenum
- penetrates intestine - migration, enters systemic circulation
- L2 larvae encyst (hypo biotic) in various tissues - liver, lungs, etc.
- NO MATURATION OCCURS
Toxocara Canis: lifecycle of prenatal/transuterine transmission
- hypobiotic L2 larvae mobilize day 42 or later of pregnancy
- L2s migrate to fetuses and enter the liver of the fetus where they molt to L3
- L3s migrate to lungs at birth. They are eventually coughed up and swallowed to the stomach.
- L4/L5 in SI mature to adults in approx. 2 weeks.
- eggs will be found in puppy feces by 23 - 40 days old.
Lifecycle of Toxocara Canis via Colostral/lactogenic transmission
- hypobiotic L2 larvae in mammary tissues
- L2 passed to puppies via colostrum
- L2 go directly to the stomach
- NO migration
Name two ascarids that have very similar looking eggs and name their differences.
Toxocara cati
- equivalent of Toxocara Canis; only it is found in the SI of cats
- their eggs have a dark center with a rough she’ll
Toxascaris leonine
- found in SI of BOTH cats and dogs
- eggs have a hyaline center (clear) with a smooth shell
Identify the life cycle differences of Toxascaris leonina by transmission type
With direct transmission they undergo NO MIGRATION at all.
Lifecycle of Toxocara Canis via paratenic host
- ingest a paratenic host (rodents) with encysted L2s
- L2s go directly to the stomach
- NO MIGRATION
Pathogenicity of ascarids
- generally a problem with younger animals (puppies and kittens)
- heavy infections resulting in death are rare.
- clinical signs would include: pneumonia, vomiting, diarrhea, pot-bellied appearance, focal lesions in CNS (migrations) - neuro disorder
Identify the life cycle differences of Toxocara cati by transmission type
With direct transmission you get “tracheal migration” often from ingestion of a paratenic host.
Will undergo lactogenic transmission but NOT prenatal/transuterine transmission like Toxocara Canis does
Why are all ascarids easy to identify?
Bc they have 3 huge lips on anterior end that you can see grossly.
All their eggs are sticky so in a float you will often see debris stuck to the edges of them
Name 2 unique characteristics of ascarids that are used for identification
Alae
- an extension of the cuticle; each species has a different pattern
Eggs
- can be differentiated by color and size
How are ascarids diagnosed?
Fecal FLOTATION
Treatment of ascarids
- dogs and cats: fenbendazole, milbemycin oxime, moxidectin, pyrantel pamoate
- cats (T. Cati): selamectin, emodepside
- treat nursing dams with litter: 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12 weeks, then monthly to 6 months
- treat pregnant bitches with fenbendazole and ivermectin
Control of ascarids
- remove the poop
- bleach
- rodent control
Why is there a debate about whether or not you can have a Toxocara free dog?
Because no drug can touch the hypobiotic larvae once they are encysted.
Zoonotic condition associated with Toxocara Canis in humans
Visceral Larval Migrans (VLM)
- chronic granulomatous lesions due to larval migrations (seen in liver, lungs, brain, eye)
- will have enlarged liver
- loss of weight, appetite, persistent cough
- human is considered a paratenic host - children that are “dirt eaters”
Baylisascaris procyonis
- worm type
- where is it found and in what species? Who is its DH?
- geography
- adult and egg characteristics?
- Ascarid
- found in dogs; raccoons are the DH
- very common in northeast and Midwest and thought to be less common in southeast though we are starting to see cases
- adults are large and white in color
- eggs are ellipsoidal, dark brown
Baylisascaris procyonis : DH
- meaning of DH
- raccoons, dogs, kinkajous
- DH meaning hosts that contain sexually mature adults and will produce eggs in the feces
Baylisascaris procyonis: Life cycle via direct transmission
- ingestion of paratenic host (mice, rabbit, etc).
- direct transmission of egg containing L2 larva
- eggs released by DH
How ascarids are transmitted to humans
- ingestion of larvated eggs thru contaminated food/water or via hay, straw, bedding
- geophagy (eating dirt)
- consumption of raw meat
Baylisascaris infections: clinical signs seen in definitive hosts
- usually none seen in raccoons or dogs
- heavy infections in raccoons have been associated with intestinal obstruction
Baylisascaris infections: clinical signs seen in paratenic hosts
Visceral larval Migrans - many will develop neurological disease.
Severity varies with species and number of larvae - rodents and birds have high susceptibility, small ruminants have low susceptibility.
Been found in more than 90 species of mammals and birds
Baylisascaris infections: clinical signs and lesions seen in paratenic hosts
- respiratory distress: high numbers of larvae in lungs
- granulomas: large numbers of worms migrate thru tissues
- invasion of spinal cord or brain: cause hemorrhage, necrosis and inflammation
Diagnosis of Baylisascaris infections in definitive hosts
FLOATATIONS for eggs. Will be auburn brown in color and may be larvated inside. Once you see the larvae you know they are infected.
Baylisascaris infection management
- keep food/bedding away from raccoons that could defecate in product
- infected definitive hosts (raccoons) should not be relocated to non-endemic areas
- don’t keep raccoons as pets
Spirocerca Lupi
- common name
- where it’s found and in what species
- IH and any paratenic hosts
- geography
- esophageal worm
- found in caudal esophagus of dogs, foxes and both wild and domestic cats
- IH = dung beetle
- paratenic hosts = amphibians, reptiles, birds
- geography = worldwide, particularly tropical/subtropical areas
Spirocerca Lupi
- adult characteristics
- egg characteristics
- adults are coiled and BRIGHT RED
- larvated, have a thick shell
Life cycle of spirocerca Lupi
- Larvated eggs found in lumen of esophagus make their way to the intestine out via feces
- Eggs ingested by dung beetle (IH) where it develops to L3
- If a Paratenic host ingests the dung beetle - in which case the L3 encysts
- IH or paratenic host are ingested by the DH. The L3 migrates from the stomach via gastric arteries to the aorta.
- Remain in aorta for awhile and eventually migrate to esophagus where it forms a nodule and matures to an adult.
Spirocerca Lupi: clinical signs and pathogenicity
Clinical signs arise from 2 things: larval migration and adults.
Larval migration
- hemorrhage, inflammatory reactions, necrosis
- roughened aorta, aneurysm, death
- nodules in aorta or esophagus
- spondylitis of vertebrae via aberrant migration
Adults
- nodule formation - may lead to hemorrhage
- granulomas may form around nodule and develop into a sarcoma (this happens fairly often)
- obstruction of esophagus, vomiting, emaciation
- mild anemia
-
Spirocerca Lupi: diagnosis
- floatation: high specific gravity
- radiography: caudal esophageal mass, undulant border of aortic wall, spondylitis
Spirocerca Lupi: treatment
- ivermectin (may need to repeat)
- ivermectin + prednisolone
- doramectin
Spirocerca Lupi - control
- prevent hunting (and ingesting paratenic host)
- removal of feces
- controlling coprophagous beetles is NOT feasible
Physaloptera praeputialis and pysaloptera rara
- common name
- where it’s found and in which species
- IH and paratenic hosts if any
- the stomach worm
- found in the stomach of dogs and cats
P. Praeputialis = cats
P. Rara = dogs - IH: coprophagous beetles, cockroaches, grasshoppers
- paratenic hosts: snake, rats, frogs
P. Praeputialis and P. Rara
- adult characteristics
- egg characteristics
- adults are small
- eggs are small, oval, thick shelled, and larvated
Lifecycle for P. Praeputialis, and P. Rara
- Larvated eggs pass out of DH via feces
- Eggs ingested by IH: beetles, cockroaches, grasshoppers and develop into L3
- Paratenic host may or may not be utilized - snake, rat, frog. If they are, the L3 encysts in them
- IH or paratenic host is ingested by DH and L3s are released into the the stomach where they attach to mucosa and mature.
Physaloptera spp. Clinical signs and pathogenicity
- usually asymptomatic
- adults: can cause edematous wounds in stomach, inflamed mucosa, increased mucus production, chronic vomiting, weight loss.
- can see worms in vomitus.
Physaloptera spp. Diagnosis
- fecal or vomitus exam: must use high specific gravity
- dark, tarry feces
- endoscopy
Physaloptera spp. Treatment
- mebendazole
- pyrantel pamoate
- fenbendazole
- ivermectin
Ollulanus Tricuspis
- common name
- where it’s found and in what species
- IH and paratenic hosts if any
- adult characteristics
- egg characteristics
- stomach worm of cats
- found in the stomach of cats, foxes, pigs, rarely dogs
- none! They have a direct lifecycle
- adults: very small, have cusps on posterior end.
- eggs: they don’t make any! The female produces and releases an l3
Physaloptera infective stage
L3
Spirocerca Lupi infective stage
L3
Ollulanus tricuspis: lifecycle
- L3 in lumen of stomach (adults burrow into mucosa)
- Enter environment as L3 via parasite-induced vomitus
- DH ingests L3, matures to adults in stomach
They have a direct life cycle
Ollulanus tricuspis: clinical signs
When they vomit, the feed will look undigested, they will vomit right after eating.
Chronic gastritis
Toxocara Canis
- common name
- where it’s found and in what species
- canine ascarid = ROUNDWORMS
- small intestine of dogs