title: First report of a fatal autochthonous canine Angiostrongylus vasorum infection in Belgium.
abstract: Canine angiostrongylosis is considered as an emergent disease in Europe and Canada. A fatal case of Angiostrongylus vasorum infection is described in a four and a half month old puppy born in Belgium. The dog was presented with marked neurological disorders, body weight loss, a profound weakness and mild respiratory signs. The dog was given antibiotics and mucolytic compounds with very little improvement and consequently was referred to a specialist for additional examinations. As the general condition of the dog was rapidly declining, the animal was euthanized shortly after on its owners' request and a necropsy was carried out. Extensive gross pulmonary lesions were observed and histopathological examination revealed the presence of numerous larvae with morphology compatible with A. vasorum. Larvae were also found in the product of a bronchoalveolar lavage but fecal material was not examined. The presence of A. vasorum circulating serum antigen was demonstrated through ELISA; additionally an A. vasorum specific PCR was performed on brain material and yielded a positive result. This case confirms that the clinical diagnosis of canine angiostrongylosis can be very challenging especially when respiratory signs are absent or very mild such in the present case. This is the first reported case of canine angiostrongylosis in Belgium.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pathology, Dept of Morphology and Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Bd de Colonster, 20 Building 43, Sart Tilman 4000, Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jolly
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Anatomy, Biomechanics and Organogenesis, Faculty of Medicine, Free University of Brussels, Route de Lennik 808, 1070 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Poncelet
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Dept of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Bd de Colonster, 20 Building 43, Sart Tilman 4000, Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Laetitia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lempereur
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Dept of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Bd de Colonster, 20 Building 43, Sart Tilman 4000, Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Yannick
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Caron
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pathology, Dept of Morphology and Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Bd de Colonster, 20 Building 43, Sart Tilman 4000, Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Calixte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bayrou
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pathology, Dept of Morphology and Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Bd de Colonster, 20 Building 43, Sart Tilman 4000, Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cassart
authors.affiliation: Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zürich, Winterthurstrasse 266a, Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Grimm
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Dept of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Bd de Colonster, 20 Building 43, Sart Tilman 4000, Liège, Belgium. Electronic address: blosson@ulg.ac.be.
authors.forename: Bertrand
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Losson
mesh_terms: D000801:Angiostrongylus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000818:Animals; D001530:Belgium; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D004285:Dogs; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D007814:Larva; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D017563:Lung Diseases, Interstitial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D008174:Lung Diseases, Parasitic / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000662:veterinary; D017206:Strongylida Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: Angiostrongylosis; Angiostrongylus vasorum; Belgium; Dog