title: Feline lungworm Oslerus rostratus (Strongylida: Filaridae) in Italy: first case report and histopathological findings.
abstract: Oslerus rostratus syn. Anafilaroides rostratus (Strongylida: Filaroididae) is a metastrongyloid transmitted by snails, which localizes in peri-bronchial tissues and in the lung parenchyma of wild as well as domestic cats. In Europe, this nematode has been reported only on two occasions, being diagnosed in cats from Majorca Island and in northern Spain. Here, we describe a case of O. rostratus infection in a necropsied 4-year-old cat in Sicily (southern Italy). At the inspection of lungs, slender and greyish nematodes (four females and two males) were found embedded in the peri-bronchial tissues and in the bronchial walls. Parasites were morphological and molecularly identified as O. rostratus, with their 18S sequences being identical among them and showing a high homology (99%) with those available in public databases. At the histology, nematodes were encapsulated in a pseudo-cystic formation surrounded by an interstitial inflammatory process and fibrous tissue. Lung lesions were mainly represented by peri-luminal fibrosis, hyperplasia and hypertrophy of the bronchial mucosa and glands, respectively. This first record of O. rostratus infection from Italy indicates that this parasite should be included in the differential diagnosis of feline of lungworm infection.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università degli Studi di Messina, Polo Universitario Annunziata, 98168, Messina, Italy, ebrianti@unime.it.
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brianti
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gaglio
authors.forename: Ettore
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Napoli
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Falsone
authors.forename: Alessio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giannelli
authors.forename: Giada
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Annoscia
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Varcasia
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Giannetto
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mazzullo
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Otranto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology; D002415:Cats; D005260:Female; D008168:Lung / Q000469:parasitology; D008174:Lung Diseases, Parasitic / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008681:Metastrongyloidea / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012802:Sicily; D017206:Strongylida Infections / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*
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