Effect of oral administration of cyclosporine on Toxoplasma gondii infection status of cats

Abstract

Oral administration of cyclosporine in accordance with the protocol for this study did not potentiate the enteroepithelial phase of T gondii infection. Cats with high cyclosporine blood concentrations at the time of primary T gondii infection may be at risk of developing systemic toxoplasmosis.

Prevalence of antibody seroconversion toToxoplasma gondiiin uveitis and non‐uveitis dogs

“…3 In the same study, four cats presented with retinal scars at 15 days after inoculation, with similar observations at 80 days after inoculation. 3 In dogs, keratoconjunctivitis, episcleritis, scleritis, optic neuritis, choroiditis, retinitis, ciliary epithelial hyperplasia, anterior uveitis, iridocyclitis, posterior uveitis and panuveitis have all been reported in association with toxoplasmosis. 2 4-6 In humans, it is believed that the majority of horizontal transmissions are caused by ingestion of one of the two persistent stages of T gondii, that is, tissue cysts in infected meat or offal (viscera) and oocysts in food or water contaminated with feline faeces.…”

Subcutaneous administration of ciclosporin in 11 allergic cats – a pilot open‐label uncontrolled clinical trial

“…Cats receiving oral therapeutic doses of CsA appear to be at higher risk of developing clinical toxoplasmosis if they become infected while receiving CsA, but activation of Toxoplasma gondii in chronically infected cats is also possible . Toxoplasmosis titres were not performed in this study; however, owners were asked to maintain their cats exclusively indoors.…”

Toxoplasmosis as a cause of life‐threatening respiratory distress in a dog receiving immunosuppressive therapy

“…Thus, IgM serology after immunosuppressive therapy is begun, or paired IgG titers before and after the onset of immunosuppressive therapy could be considered in seropositive dogs. However, it is questionable whether onset of toxoplasmosis can be accurately predicted with such serological testing, because antibody production may be affected by immunosuppressive therapy . Furthermore as also demonstrated in this report, low titers can be associated with severe clinical signs and peracute disease may remain undetected, particularly when only IgG titers are assessed…”

“…Systemic toxoplasmosis has been described after monotherapy with ciclosporin in cats and localized toxoplasmosis may also occur in cats and dogs . However, it must be noted that fatal toxoplasmosis in cyclosporine‐treated cats is uncommon and a direct inhibitory effect of ciclosporin metabolites on T gondii proliferation has also been described . Hence, the overall risk of development of toxoplasmosis in dogs treated specifically with ciclosporin remains unclear.…”