title: Infection by Eucoleus aerophilus in dogs and cats: is another extra-intestinal parasitic nematode of pets emerging in Italy?
abstract: The occurrence of the infection by the lungworm Eucoleus aerophilus (syn. Capillaria aerophila) in dogs and cats from Italy has been evaluated with conventional diagnostic procedures. Individual faecal samples from 569 dogs and 200 cats were undertaken to faecal flotation with sugar and zinc sulphate solution. Sixteen dogs (2.8%) and 11 cats (5.5%) scored positive for eggs of E. aerophilus when samples were processed with either of the two flotation solutions. Overall 14 of 16 dogs and eight of 11 cats infected by E. aerophilus showed respiratory symptoms and the most common were general respiratory distress, dry cough, wheezing and sneezing. These results indicate that E. aerophilus is not uncommon and that canine and feline capillariosis is of clinical importance. Given the impact that E. aerophilus infections may have upon animal health and its zoonotic potential, it is strongly advisable to routinely include this disease in the differential diagnosis of (cardio)-respiratory diseases of dogs and cats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Piazza Aldo Moro 45, 64100 Teramo, Italy. dtraversa@unite.it
authors.forename: Donato
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Traversa
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Cesare
authors.forename: Piermarino
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Milillo
authors.forename: Raffaella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Iorio
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Otranto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic / Q000469:parasitology; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000635:transmission; D002415:Cats; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000635:transmission; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D009348:Nematoda / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009349:Nematode Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D010270:Parasite Egg Count; D015995:Prevalence; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary