First Molecular Identification and Clinical Presentation of Crenosomosis in a Dog from Slovakia

Acta Parasitologica https://doi.org/10.1007/s11686-024-00861-8 ORIGINAL PAPER First Molecular Identification and Clinical Presentation of Crenosomosis in a Dog from Slovakia Michaela Kaduková1 · Martin Kožár2 · Andrea Schreiberová1 · Barbora Šišková2 · Gabriela Štrkolcová1 Received: 24 April 2024 / Accepted: 18 June 2024 © The Author(s) 2024 Abstract Purpose Crenosoma vulpis (Dujardin,1845) is a lungworm which has spread worldwide in canines and is associated with upper respiratory infections. In a majority of cases, the infections are accompanied with chronic cough. Diagnosis of lungworms is often underdiagnosed and can be misinterpreted as other respiratory diseases. Methods The Small Animal Clinic of the University Veterinary Hospital admitted an 11-month-old dog presented with persistent cough associated with difficulty in breathing and even asphyxia. Based on clinical symptoms, the patient underwent radiological and bronchoscopic examination. Bronchoscopy revealed the presence of lungworms obturating the branches of the tracheobronchial tree. Larvae were collected by bronchoscopic lavage and subjected to parasitological and molecular examination. Results Microscopic detection and morphological identification of the worms removed during the bronchoscopy confirmed the presence of female adult worms. The subsequent molecular characterisation of the mitochondrial (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (cox1) and 12S ribosomal DNA (rDNA)), nuclear (18S rDNA) genes, as well as the analysis of the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2) region of the ribosomal DNA, confirmed the Crenosoma vulpis species. Faecal samples were processed using the Baermann method, which confirmed the presence of the larval stage 1 of C. vulpis. The therapy with fenbendazole at a dose of 50 mg/kg of live weight once daily for the period of 7 days was initiated for the patient. Conclusion This paper presents the first molecularly confirmed clinical case of a Crenosoma vulpis infection in an 11-monthold female dog of the Miniature Schnauzer breed in Slovakia. Keywords Crenosoma vulpis · Bronchoscopy · Dog · Foxes · Molecular identification · Baermann technique Introduction Crenosoma vulpis (Nematoda: Metastrongyloidea), also known as the fox lungworm, is a member of the Crenosomatidae family and it is primarily associated with respiratory infections in canines. It mainly occurs in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), less frequently in dogs (Canis lupus familiaris), arctic foxes (Alopex lagopus), gray foxes * Martin Kožár 1 Department of Epizootiology, Parasitology and Protection of One Health, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Komenského 73, 041 01 Kosice, Slovakia 2 Small Animal Clinic, The University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Kosice, Komenského 73, 040 01 Kosice, Slovakia (Urocyon cinereoargentaus), wolves (Canis lupus), coyotes (Canis latrans), and European badgers (Meles meles); it is also present in European pine martens (Martes martes) and beech martens (Martes foina), while from the endemic point of view, it usually lives in the Northern America and Europe [4, 16, 30]. As a result of free movement of foxes in the wild nature without having any natural animal predator, and due to the fact that they stay near the residential areas and tourist locations, foxes are considered to be the main cause of the spread of lungworms to non-endemic regions and as the source of this infection for carnivores [18, 38]. C. vulpis was also reported in foxes in Africa and Algeria [35]. Stunženas and Binkiene (2021) [47] stated in their study that the Crenosoma genus includes 14 validated species, while the most widespread species in Europe is the C. vulpis fox lungworm. A rather frequently occurring Crenosoma striatum species was confirmed mainly in European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europeus) in Portugal and Italy Vol.:(0123456789) Acta Parasitologica [31]. Other species detected in Europe include Crenosoma melesi–primarily in European badgers (Meles meles), as well as Crenosoma petrowi–identified in European badgers (Meles meles), European pine martens (Martes martes) and beech martens (Martes foina) in Romania [16]. The life cycle of Crenosoma vulpis is indirect. The intermediate hosts include land slugs, such as Arion vulgaris and Limax maximus, as well as common garden snails Cornu aspersum [9, 21]. A definitive host acquires the infection by ingesting an intermediate host whose tissues contain a developing infectious L3 larvae. After the definitive host ingests the infectious larval stage, the larvae migrate through the gastrointestinal tract and via the lymph, and through their subsequent migration through the liver, heart and lungs they reach the locations in the lungs where they transform into sexually mature adults. Females are ovoviviparous; L1 larvae are released from the eggs and after a short period of time they are coughed up and swallowed so they get to the intestine and are eventually released to the external environment with faeces. Adult parasites may live in a definite host as long as 10 months, and their prepatent period is 18–21 days [18, 21, 44]. Depending on the parasite load, clinical symptoms may vary from the asymptomatic form to the nasal discharge, dyspnoea and chronic coughing, which is caused by the irritation of the lungs and bronchi by the parasite [11]. The objective of this paper was to identify the lungworm in a dog with clinical manifestations by applying morphology-molecular analyses. Material and Methods Case Presentation/Investigation In the article, a clinical case of a patient that was referred to the clinic below due to several weeks persisting cough Fig. 1  Radiography associated with difficulty in breathing and even suffocation is described. The patient–a female dog of the Miniature Schnauzer breed, with the weight of 6.4 kg and the age of 11 months, was treated at a private veterinary clinic, where he was administered two groups of antibiotic therapy and the medication from the group of glucocorticoids. Due to the failure of the conventional therapy, the patient was referred to the Small Animal Clinic of the University Veterinary Hospital at the University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, for an endoscopy. The clinical examination did not reveal any significant pathological changes in the patient’s condition (CRT = 2 s; N =  ≤ 2 s), light-pink mucous membranes, in the shock stage, with present normothermia (T = 38.3 °C), the animal was slightly excited, its breathing was shallow and of the costo-abdominal type. Radiography Subsequently, an X-ray examination of the chest cavity was performed on the LL and VD projection with the finding of a change in the trachea which was dorsally shifted away, the bronchial lung pattern, significant sharping of the lung field, and a change in the bifurcation region and the heart region (Fig. 1). The summary of all clinical signs indicated. the need for an additional specifi (...truncated)