title: Respiratory nematodes in cat populations of Italy.
abstract: The occurrence of common respiratory parasites of domestic cats (the metastrongyloid "cat lungworm" Aelurostrongylus abstrusus and the trichuroid Capillaria aerophila) and of neglected respiratory nematodes of felids (Troglostrongylus brevior, Angiostrongylus chabaudi and Oslerus rostratus) was here evaluated in two and three geographical sites of Northern and Central Italy, respectively. In 2014-2015, individual fecal samples of 868 domestic cats were examined microscopically and genetically, and epidemiological data related to parasitic infections were evaluated as possible risk factors by binary logistic regression models. The most common parasite was A. abstrusus in both mono- and poli-specific infections, followed by T. brevior and C. aerophila, while cats scored negative for other parasites. Cats positive for A. abstrusus (1.9-17 % infection rate) and C. aerophila (0.9-4.8 % infection rate) were found in all examined sites, while cats scored positive for T. brevior (1-14.3 % infection rate) in four sites. Also, T. brevior was here found for the first time in a domestic cat from a mountainous area of Northern Italy. The occurrence of lungworms was statistically related to the presence of respiratory signs and more significant in cats with mixed infection by other lungworms and/or intestinal parasites. Cats living in site C of Central Italy resulted statistically more at risk of infection for lungworms than cats living in the other study sites, while animals ageing less than 1 year were at more risk for troglostrongylosis. Finally, the presence of lungworms was more significant in cats with mixed infection by other lungworms and/or intestinal parasites. These results are discussed under epidemiological and clinical points of views.
authors: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy.
authors: Angela
authors: A
authors: Di Cesare
authors: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
authors: Fabrizia
authors: F
authors: Veronesi
authors: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy.|Ambulatorio Veterinario Centro Italia, Rieti, Italy.
authors: Eleonora
authors: E
authors: Grillotti
authors: Novara Day Lab - IDEXX Laboratories, Monticello, Italy.
authors: Simone
authors: S
authors: Manzocchi
authors: Department of Veterinary Science, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
authors: Stefania
authors: S
authors: Perrucci
authors: Division of Veterinary Pathology (DIAL), University of Udine, Udine, Italy.
authors: Paola
authors: P
authors: Beraldo
authors: Istituto Zooprofilattico delle Venezie, Legnaro, Padova, Italy.
authors: Stefania
authors: S
authors: Cazzin
authors: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Latium e della Toscana "M. Aleandri", Rome, Italy.
authors: Claudio
authors: C
authors: De Liberato
authors: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy.|Facultade de Medicina Veterinaria MSV/UFF Niteroi, Niteroi, RJ, Brazil.
authors: Luciano A
authors: LA
authors: Barros
authors: Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
authors: Giulia
authors: G
authors: Simonato
authors: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy. dtraversa@unite.it.
authors: Donato
authors: D
authors: Traversa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D002415:Cats; D060085:Coinfection / Q000469:parasitology; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008681:Metastrongyloidea / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D017206:Strongylida Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: Aelurostrongylus abstrusus; Capillaria aerophila; Diagnosis; Epidemiology; Italy; Lungworms; Risk factors; Troglostrongylus brevior