Prevalence of helminth and coccidian parasites in Swedish outdoor cats and the first report of Aelurostrongylus abstrusus in Sweden: a coprological investigation.
BACKGROUND
This study was performed in order to gather recent epidemiological data on feline endoparasites in Swedish cats. Faecal samples from 205 outdoor cats were collected by their owners and submitted to the National Veterinary Institute for analysis. The study population was comprised of cats with access to an outdoor environment and with no history of anthelmintic treatment within the last 3 months. Intestinal parasites were detected with a centrifugal flotation technique and Baermann larval sedimentation was performed to detect metastrongylid lungworms. Eggs, larvae and oocysts were identified morphologically by microscopic examination. The following information was collected from cat owners: breed, sex, age, anthelminthic medication last used, observation of cestode proglottids and residential address.


RESULTS
Endoparasites were detected in 25% of samples. Eggs of Toxocara cati were found in 21% of samples, followed by taeniid eggs (4%), oocysts of Cystoisospora felis/C. rivolta and capillarid eggs (both 1%). One cat tested positive for Toxoplasma gondii-like oocysts. Larvae of Aelurostrongylus abstrusus were detected in one cat, which is the first published observation of this parasite in Sweden.


CONCLUSIONS
The occurrence of intestinal parasites is rather high in outdoor cats in Sweden, which could indicate the need for more intensive deworming routines in the population. Clinical practitioners should be aware of the possible occurence of A. abstrusus in Swedish cats when considering potential causes of respiratory problems in cats in the future.
Department of Microbiology, National Veterinary Institute (SVA), Ulls väg 2B, 75189, Uppsala, Sweden. giulio.grandi@sva.se.
Giulio
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9620-1792
G
Grandi
Department of Disease Control and Epidemiology, National Veterinary Institute (SVA), Ulls väg 2B, 75651, Uppsala, Sweden.
Arianna
A
Comin
Department of Microbiology, National Veterinary Institute (SVA), Ulls väg 2B, 75189, Uppsala, Sweden.
Osama
O
Ibrahim
Bayer Animal Health GmbH, Monheim, Germany.
Roland
R
Schaper
Bayer Animal Health AB, Solna, Sweden.
Ulrika
U
Forshell
Department of Microbiology, National Veterinary Institute (SVA), Ulls väg 2B, 75189, Uppsala, Sweden.
Eva Osterman
EO
Lind
D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D002415:Cats; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D006374:Helminthiasis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D007814:Larva / Q000502:physiology; D008681:Metastrongyloidea / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D033661:Oocysts / Q000502:physiology; D010063:Ovum / Q000502:physiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017206:Strongylida Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology
Aelurostrongylus abstrusus; Feline parasites; Toxocara cati