title: New insights into morphological and biological features of Capillaria aerophila (Trichocephalida, Trichuridae).
abstract: Capillaria aerophila is a trichuroid nematode affecting the respiratory system of dogs, cats, wild carnivores and, occasionally, humans. Animals become infected by ingesting larvated eggs or earthworms, which act as facultative intermediate hosts. The aim of this work is to present new insights into morphological and biological features of this neglected lungworm. Typical features of C. aerophila eggs, differentiating them from those of most known trichuroid whipworms (i.e. size, asymmetry of bipolar plugs and a wall with a network of anastomosing ridges), were detected upon light and scanning electron microscopy. Eggs of C. aerophila were used for in vitro development. Light microscopy showed typical features of C. aerophila eggs: size, asymmetry of bipolar plugs and a wall with a network of anastomosing ridges. All these features were confirmed upon SEM, in that C. aerophila eggs showed an outer densely striated and net-like shell. Eggs of T. vulpis, used for a comparative analysis, were bigger than those of C. aerophila and showed a thick and smooth wall at both light and scanning electron microscopy. Eggs started to develop after 35 days from shedding and mobile larvae were observed in the eggs after two months. The results of this study provide key information on the biological cycle of C. aerophila and present key morphological characters for the identification of eggs in faeces.
authors: Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Teramo, Italy. dtraversa@unite.it
authors: Donato
authors: D
authors: Traversa
authors: Angela
authors: A
authors: Di Cesare
authors: Riccardo P
authors: RP
authors: Lia
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Castagna
authors: Silvana
authors: S
authors: Meloni
authors: Josef
authors: J
authors: Heine
authors: Katrin
authors: K
authors: Strube
authors: Piermarino
authors: P
authors: Milillo
authors: Domenico
authors: D
authors: Otranto
authors: Oliver
authors: O
authors: Meckes
authors: Roland
authors: R
authors: Schaper
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002195:Capillaria / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D002415:Cats; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D004285:Dogs; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D007814:Larva / Q000254:growth & development; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010063:Ovum / Q000254:growth & development / Q000648:ultrastructure*