title: Updates on feline aelurostrongylosis and research priorities for the next decade.
abstract: Feline aelurostrongylosis, caused by the metastrongyloid nematode Aelurostrongylus abstrusus, is an important gastropod-borne parasitic lung disease in cats. Infection with A. abstrusus is widespread globally, but the increasing awareness of this parasite and the advent of more sensitive diagnostics have contributed to the apparent increase in its prevalence and geographic expansion. Clinical features may range in severity from subclinical to life-threatening respiratory disease. Parasitological standard techniques, such as visualization of the nematode first larval stage in faecal and respiratory (bronchial mucus or pleural fluid) samples, remain the mainstays of diagnosis. However, diagnosis is evolving with recent advances in serological and molecular testing, which can improve the time to initiation of effective anthelmintic therapy. Despite numerous anthelmintics that are now available as treatment options, the role of host immunity and lifestyle factors in selecting cats that may benefit from more targeted anthelmintic prophylaxis or treatment practice remains unclear and is likely to guide therapeutic choices as newer data become available. This review summarizes the biology, epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment options currently available for feline aelurostrongylosis.
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD, UK. hany.elsheikha@nottingham.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Hany M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Elsheikha
authors.affiliation: Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 266a, Zürich, 8057, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schnyder
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy.
authors.forename: Donato
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Traversa
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Cesare
authors.affiliation: Withy Grove Veterinary Surgery, 39 Station Rd, Bamber Bridge, Preston, PR5 6QR, UK.
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Biology, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, United States Food and Drug Administration, Laurel, MD, USA.
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Lacher
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D002415:Cats; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D007814:Larva; D008681:Metastrongyloidea / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017206:Strongylida Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: Aelurostrongylosis; Aelurostrongylus abstrusus; Cat; Lungworm