Capillaria aerophila

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Capillaria aerophila
Eucoleus aerophilus in trachea of fox.jpg
Capillaria aerophila
in the trachea of a fox [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Nematoda
Class: Enoplea
Order: Enoplida
Family: Capillariidae
Genus: Capillaria
Species:
C. aerophila
Binomial name
Capillaria aerophila
(Creplin, 1839)

Capillaria aerophila is a nematode parasite found in the respiratory tract of foxes, [1] dogs, [2] and various other carnivorous mammals. [3] A few cases of human infestation have also been reported. Though it is sometimes called a "lungworm", this term usually refers to other species of nematodes. Infestation by C. aerophila is referred to as "pulmonary capillariasis" (occasionally spelled "capillariosis), "bronchial capillariasis", or (rarely) "thominxosis". This parasite has a direct life cycle, meaning that the life cycle can be completed in a single host. C. aerophila usually causes only minor clinical symptoms, such as irritation of the respiratory tract and coughing. However, secondary bacterial infections of the respiratory tract, including pneumonia, may develop in heavy infestations. Treatment with anthelmintics, such as levamisole or fenbendazole, is usually sufficient to cure C. aerophila infestations.

Contents

Taxonomy and description

This species was originally described in 1839, from specimens found in the trachea of a wolf, and named Trichosoma aerophila. [4] It was transferred to the genus Eucoleus (as Eucoleus aerophilus) by Dujardin in 1845, and to the genus Capillaria (as Capillaria aerophila) in 1911, and is sometimes referred to as Thominx aerophilum. The changes to the end of the species name in each genus, whether it ends with "-a", "-us" or "-um", are necessary to adhere to the rules of Latin grammar.

Males generally range from 15–25 mm long, with a maximum width of 62 μm, while females are 18–32 mm long with a maximum width of 105 μm. Some sources report that they are larger when they occur in the nasal sinuses. [5]

Hosts and distribution

Capillaria aerophila has been found on every continent, and occurs in dogs, cats, and a wide range of wild mammals. The following species have been reported as hosts:

Life cycle

Capillaria aerophila has a direct life cycle, meaning that it can be completed in one host. The adults lay eggs in the lungs. The eggs are coughed up and swallowed by the host; and are then passed in the feces. In about 5–7 weeks, the larvae develop into the infective stage within the egg envelope in the soil. The infective larvae remain viable for up to 1 year. When a suitable host eats these mature eggs, the larvae hatch in the intestines and migrate to the lungs. They mature into adults about 40 days post-infection. Earthworms may act as paratenic hosts, by eating the C. aerophila eggs and infecting mammalian hosts when eaten by the mammals. However, the involvement of the earthworms is not necessary for the completion of the C. aerophila life cycle.

Prevalence

Reported infestation rates in dogs and cats which are kept as pets in Europe and North America are generally less than 10%. In wildlife, rates as high as 74% [6] and 88% [7] have been reported for wild foxes.

Clinical symptoms

Most cases of Capillaria aerophila infestation in dogs and cats are without serious clinical symptoms. Heavy infestations may result in inflammation of the respiratory tract (rhinitis, tracheitis or bronchitis), or secondary bacterial infections of the respiratory tract, including bronchopneumonia. These developments are usually characterized by a whistling sound when the animal breathes, frequent sneezing, or a deep, wheezing cough.

In humans, symptoms include coughing, fever, bronchitis, dyspnea (shortness of breath), blood in the saliva, and elevated levels of eosinophils in the blood (eosinophilia).

Most reports of C. aerophila in wildlife are simply parasite field surveys, and do not mention specific symptoms. However, the involvement of C. aerophila infestation and pneumonia, in addition to other parasites, in the death of an opossum has been reported. [8]

Diagnosis, treatment and prevention

Infestation is easily diagnosed by the presence of C. aerophila eggs in the nasal or tracheal lavage, or the feces of infested animals. Standard anthelmintics, such as ivermectin or fenbendazole, are recommended for treatment of dogs. [3] Humans infested with C. aerophila have been successfully treated with albendazole and mebendazole. [9]

For animals kept in outdoor pens, proper drainage and allowing sunlight to hit the floor of the pen have been suggested to minimize the spread of infestation. [10]

Related Research Articles

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<i>Baylisascaris</i> Genus of worms

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Lungworms are parasitic nematode worms of the order Strongylida that infest the lungs of vertebrates. The name is used for a variety of different groups of nematodes, some of which also have other common names; what they have in common is that they migrate to their hosts' lungs or respiratory tracts, and cause bronchitis or pneumonia. The lungworm will gradually damage the airways or lung tissue by inciting an inflammatory reaction inside the tissue. Ultimately, the parasites survive and reproduce in the respiratory tissues. The category is thus more a descriptive than a precisely taxonomic one.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Intestinal capillariasis</span> Medical condition

Intestinal capillariasis is a disease in the group of helminthiasis diseases caused by the nematode Capillaria philippinensis.

Capillaria plica is a parasitic nematode which is most often found in the urinary bladder, and occasionally in the kidneys, of dogs and foxes. It has also been found in the domestic cat, and various wild mammals. Its presence usually produces no clinical symptoms, but in some cases, it leads to hematuria, cystitis, or difficulty in urination.

<i>Capillaria hepatica</i> Species of roundworm

Capillaria hepatica is a parasitic nematode which causes hepatic capillariasis in rodents and numerous other mammal species, including humans. The life cycle of C. hepatica may be completed in a single host species. However, the eggs, which are laid in the liver, must mature outside of the host body prior to infecting a new host. Death and decomposition of the host in which the adults reach sexual maturity are necessary for completion of the life cycle.

<i>Capillaria <span style="font-style:normal;">(nematode)</span></i> Genus of roundworms

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<i>Thelazia</i> Genus of roundworms

Thelazia is a genus of nematode worms which parasitize the eyes and associated tissues of various bird and mammal hosts, including humans. They are often called "eyeworms", and infestation with Thelazia species is referred to as "thelaziasis". Adults are usually found in the eyelids, tear glands, tear ducts, or the so-called "third eyelid". Occasionally, they are found in the eyeball itself, either under the conjunctiva or in the vitreous cavity of the eyeball. All species of Thelazia for which the life cycle has been studied are transmitted by species of Diptera (flies) which do not bite, but which feed on tears.

<i>Thelazia callipaeda</i> Species of worm

Thelazia callipaeda is a parasitic nematode, and the most common cause of thelaziasis in humans, dogs and cats. It was first discovered in the eyes of a dog in China in 1910. By 2000, over 250 human cases had been reported in the medical literature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thelaziasis</span> Medical condition

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<i>Angiostrongylus vasorum</i> Species of roundworm

Angiostrongylus vasorum, also known as French heartworm, is a species of parasitic nematode in the family Metastrongylidae. It causes the disease canine angiostrongylosis in dogs. It is not zoonotic, that is, it cannot be transmitted to humans.

<i>Moniliformis moniliformis</i> Species of thorny-headed worm

Moniliformis moniliformis is a parasite of the Acanthocephala phylum in the family Moniliformidae. The adult worms are usually found in intestines of rodents or carnivores such as cats and dogs. The species can also infest humans, though this is rare.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Linguatulosis</span> Medical condition

Linguatulosis is a condition associated with the organism Linguatula serrata.

<i>Capillaria feliscati</i> Species of roundworm

Capillaria feliscati (also known as Pearsonema feliscati, the cat bladder worm is a worm that affects cats, and seldom dogs. Its main final hosts are wild carnivores. It is a urinary tract nematode, though its occurrence is rare. C. feliscati are small, delicate, yellowish, thread-like worms. Adults are approximately between 16 and 53 millimetres in length.

<i>Metorchis conjunctus</i> Species of fluke

Metorchis conjunctus, common name Canadian liver fluke, is a species of trematode parasite in the family Opisthorchiidae. It can infect mammals that eat raw fish in North America. The first intermediate host is a freshwater snail and the second is a freshwater fish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Feline zoonosis</span> Medical condition

A feline zoonosis is a viral, bacterial, fungal, protozoan, nematode or arthropod infection that can be transmitted to humans from the domesticated cat, Felis catus. Some of these diseases are reemerging and newly emerging infections or infestations caused by zoonotic pathogens transmitted by cats. In some instances, the cat can display symptoms of infection and sometimes the cat remains asymptomatic. There can be serious illnesses and clinical manifestations in people who become infected. This is dependent on the immune status and age of the person. Those who live in close association with cats are more prone to these infections, but those that do not keep cats as pets can also acquire these infections as the transmission can be from cat feces and the parasites that leave their bodies.

<i>Eucoleus</i> Genus of roundworms

Eucoleus is a genus of nematodes belonging to the family Capillariidae. Dwelling primarily in the airways of foxes, it can be found worldwide in dogs and cats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cat worm infections</span> Worm infections in cats

Cat worm infections, the infection of cats (Felidae) with parasitic worms, occur frequently. Most worm species occur worldwide in both domestic and other cats, but there are regional, species and lifestyle differences in the frequency of infestation. According to the classification of the corresponding parasites in the zoological system, infections can be divided into those caused by nematode and flatworms - in the case of the latter, mainly cestoda and trematoda - while other strains are of no veterinary significance. While threadworms usually do not require an intermediate host for their reproduction, the development cycle of flatworms always proceeds via alternate hosts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nematode infection in dogs</span> Threadworm infections of dogs are frequent

Nematode infection in dogs - the infection of dogs with parasitic nemamotodes - are, along with tapeworm infections and infections with protozoa, frequent parasitoses in veterinary practice. Nematodes, as so-called endoparasites, colonize various internal organs - most of them the digestive tract - and the skin. To date, about 30 different species of nematode have been identified in domestic dogs; they are essentially also found in wild dog species. However, the majority of them often cause no or only minor symptoms of disease in adult animals. The infection therefore does not necessarily have to manifest itself in a worm disease (helminthosis). For most nematodes, an infection can be detected by examining the feces for eggs or larvae. Roundworm infection in dogs and the hookworm in dogs is of particular health significance in Central Europe, as they can also be transmitted to humans (zoonosis). Regular deworming can significantly reduce the frequency of infection and thus the risk of infection for humans and dogs.

References

  1. 1 2 Lalošević, V.; Lalošević, D.; Čapo, I.; Simin, V.; Galfi, A. & Traversa, D. (2013). "High infection rate of zoonotic Eucoleus aerophilus infection in foxes from Serbia". Parasite . 20 (3): 3. doi:10.1051/parasite/2012003. PMC   3718516 . PMID   23340229. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  2. Magi, M.; Guardone, L.; Prati, M. C.; Torracca, B.; Macchioni, F. (2012). "First report of Eucoleus boehmi (syn. Capillaria boehmi) in dogs in north-western Italy, with scanning electron microscopy of the eggs". Parasite. 19 (4): 433–435. doi:10.1051/parasite/2012194433. PMC   3671462 . PMID   23193529. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  3. 1 2 "Capillaria aerophila, The Merck Veterinary Manual". Merck & Co. Retrieved 2008-11-26.
  4. Cross, J.H. (1998) "Capillaria aerophila." In: S.R. Palmer, Lord Soulsby and D.I.H. Simpson (eds) "Zoonoses: Biology, Clinical Practice and Public Health Control." Oxford University Press: Oxford, England. ISBN   0-19-262380-X. pp. 767-769.
  5. Banzon, T. (1982) "Capillariasis". In: M.G. Schultz (ed) Handbook Series in Parasitic Zoonoses, Section C. Parasitic Zoonoses, Volume II. CRC Press: Boca Raton, FL. ISBN   0-8493-2917-5, pp. 63-65.
  6. Saeed I, Maddox-Hyttel C, Monrad J, Kapel CM (June 2006). "Helminths of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Denmark". Vet. Parasitol. 139 (1–3): 168–79. doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2006.02.015. PMID   16580775.
  7. Davidson RK, Gjerde B, Vikøren T, Lillehaug A, Handeland K (March 2006). "Prevalence of Trichinella larvae and extra-intestinal nematodes in Norwegian red foxes (Vulpes vulpes)". Vet. Parasitol. 136 (3–4): 307–16. doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2005.11.015. PMID   16378689.
  8. Nettles V.F.; Prestwood A.; Davidson W.R. (1975). "Severe parasitism in an opossum" (PDF). Journal of Wildlife Diseases. 11 (3): 419–420. doi:10.7589/0090-3558-11.3.419. PMID   1152183. S2CID   5550092. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 21, 2011.
  9. Lalosević D, Lalosević V, Klem I, Stanojev-Jovanović D, Pozio E (January 2008). "Pulmonary capillariasis miming bronchial carcinoma". Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 78 (1): 14–6. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.2008.78.14 . PMID   18187778.
  10. Soulsby, E.J. (1982) Helminths, Arthropods and Protozoa of Domesticated Animals. 7th Edition. Lea & Febiger: Philadelphia. ISBN   0-7020-0820-6. pp. 340-341.

Further reading