title: Pathological and parasitological traits in experimentally infected cats with Gnathostoma binucleatum (Spirurida: Gnathostomatidae).
abstract: This study aims to describe some of the unknown pathological and parasitological traits of experimental feline gnathostomosis. Thirteen female cats were orally inoculated with 30 advanced third-stage Gnathostoma binucleatum larvae and were euthanized at various post-infection (p.i.) periods. Clinically, the cats presented with nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and other nonspecific signs. None of the cats shed eggs in their fecal matter. One cat, euthanized at 6 months p.i., developed a fibrous vascular nodule 2-3 cm in diameter within its gastric wall. The nodule contained caverns filled with mucous and bloody fluid as well as a juvenile worm. The histological characteristics of the nodule were observed, and the morphology of the juvenile worm was revealed using scanning electron microscopy. Another cat, euthanized at 10 months p.i., was found to have a larva within its diaphragm. Infected cats developed increased antibody titers against antigens of G. binucleatum adults and larvae beginning in the first month p.i., and these titers were maintained until the end of the experiment, suggesting the presence of undetected migrating larvae. The low number of cats with parasites and poor development of the parasites found suggest that cats have a low susceptibility to infection by G. binucleatum and cast doubt on the importance of domestic cats in maintaining the biological cycle of this parasite in nature.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Parasitología, Secretaría de Investigación y Posgrado, Universidad Autónoma de Nayarit, Mexico.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alvarez-Guerrero
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Estudios de Estudios Superiores Cuautitlán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Guzmán
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Estudios de Estudios Superiores Cuautitlán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico. Electronic address: fealba@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alba-Hurtado
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood*; D002415:Cats; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology; D006039:Gnathostoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D058429:Gnathostomiasis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007814:Larva; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / Q000662:veterinary; D023421:Models, Animal; D010063:Ovum
chemical_list: D000909:Antibodies, Helminth
keywords: Cat; Experimental infection; Gastric nodule; Gnathostoma binucleatum; Gnathostomosis