title: A case of fatal systemic toxoplasmosis in a cat being treated with cyclosporin A for feline atopy.
abstract: Acute systemic toxoplasmosis was diagnosed in a 4-5-year-old, male, Domestic Short Hair cat, which had been on cyclosporine A immunomodulatory therapy for feline atopy, over an 8-month period. Cyclosporin A (CsA) has shown promising results as a immunosuppressive agent in the cat for the treatment of eosinophilic plaque and granulomas, allergic cervico-facial pruritus, feline atopy and other immune-mediated dermatoses. However, inhibition of T-lymphocyte function by CsA is believed to have predisposed this cat to the development of a newly acquired, acute Toxoplasma gondii infection, as characterized by severe hepatic and pancreatic pathology in conjunction with the heavy parasite load demonstrated on immunohistochemical (IHC) stains for T. gondii. Cats on CsA therapy appear to be at risk of developing fatal systemic toxoplasmosis.
authors.affiliation: Vetdiagnostix-Veterinary Pathology Services, P.O. Box 13624, Cascades 3202, South Africa. vetdiagnostix@futurevet.co.za
authors.forename: Robert D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Last
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Manning
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lindsay
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Galipeau
authors.forename: Trevor J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Whitbread
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D002415:Cats; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D008297:Male; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D016572:Cyclosporine