Coinfection with Tritrichomonas foetus and Giardia duodenalis in Two Cats with Chronic Diarrhea. (6th September 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zanzani, Sergio A.; Gazzonis, Alessia L.; Scarpa, Paola; Olivieri, Emanuela; Balzer, Hans-Jörg; Manfredi, Maria Teresa
• Other Names: Hyun Changbaig Academic Editor.
• Is Part Of: Case reports in veterinary medicine. Volume 2016(2016)
• Publication Date: 2016-09-06
• Subjects: Veterinary medicine -- Periodicals; Animals -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Animal health -- Periodicals; 636.08905
• DOI: 10.1155/2016/5705168
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2090-7001

Abstract

Abstract : A Tritrichomonas foetus and Giardia duodenalis mixed infection was diagnosed in two Maine Coon cats aged six months. One of them presented a history of chronic liquid diarrhea and of several unsuccessful treatments. In both cats, G. duodenalis and trichomonads were detected in fecal smears from freshly voided feces; the presence of T. foetus was confirmed by a real-time PCR assay. The cats completely recovered after treatment with ronidazole. In a refrigerated fecal sample collected from the cat with chronic diarrhea, drop-shaped trichomonad pseudocysts smaller than G. duodenalis cysts were detected. They appeared brownish or light-bluish when stained with Lugol's solution or with Giemsa stain, respectively, and their morphological features were similar to those expressed by bovine T. foetus pseudocysts in vitro . Existence of pseudocysts even in feline trichomonads is noteworthy as they could represent a form of protozoan resistance due to unfavorable conditions whose detection in refrigerated feces can be a useful clue for clinicians.