Sparganosis in a Cat

Abstract

Abstract— —A sparganum is an intermediate stage of certain pseudophyllidean tapeworms and is normally found in various species of fish and small vertebrates. This paper presents an unusual case of sparganosis in a cat, normally considered a definitive host of several genera of Pseudophyllidea. The animal was anorectic and lethargic, and a palpable mass was present in the abdomen. The mass was in the fundic portion of the stomach and protruded into the lumen. The overlying gastric mucosa had ulcerated areas. Histologically, the mass represented a fibrous connective tissue reaction with formation of septa. Sections of a parasite, a sparganum,‡ were within the compartments formed by the septa. Résurné—Le sparganum, forme larvaire de certains ténias pseudophyllidiens, se rencontre d'habitude chez diverses espèces de poissons et de petits vertérés. L'auteur décrit un cas, excetoinnel, dep sparganose chez le chat, animal normalement considéré comme hôte définitif de plusieurs genres de pseudophyllidiens L'animal atteint, dont l'état etait accompagné d'anorexie et de Iéthargie, prásentait une tumeur abdominale perceptible à la palpation. La tumeur, située dam la région du fundus, s'avançait dam la cavite gastrique. La muqueuse gastrique présentait des zones ulcéreuses. L'examen histologique a permis de constater que la tumeur représentait une réaction du tissu conjonctif fibreux, avec formation de septa. Les alvéoles constituées par ces septa renfermaient des sections d'un parasite, identifié comme sparganum. Zusammenfassung— —Ein Spaaganum ist ein Zwischenstadium bestimmter pseudophyllider Bandwurmer und wird normalerweise in verschiedenen Spezies von Fischen und kleinen Wirbeltieren gefunden. Diese Abhandlung beschreibt einen ungewohnlichee Fall von Sparganosis einer Katze, die normalerweise als Wirtstier verschiedener Genera von Pseudophylliden angesehen wird. Das Tier war anorektisch und lethargisch, und im Abdomen war eine fuhlbare Masse vorhanden. Diese Masse befand sich im Fundus des Magens und ragte in das Lumen hinein. Die daruberliegnde Magenschleimhaut hatte ulcerierte Gebiete. Histologisch stellte die Masse eine fasrige Bindegewebsreaktion mit Bildung von Septa dar. Teile eines Parasiten, eines Sparganum, befanden sich in den von den Septa gebildeten Raumen.

First Clinical Cases of Spirometrosis in Two Cats in Korea

“…In Korea, more than 200 human cases of sparganosis have been reported due to infection by the plerocercoid of S. decipiens and S. erinaceieuropaei [4][5][6]. Animals can also be infected by spargana, and their symptoms are similar to those of humans [7][8][9][10].…”

Subcutaneous sparganosis, a zoonotic cestodiasis, in two cats

“…3,6,14 The adult tapeworm infects dogs, cats, and other carnivores 8 and causes little or no clinical signs. 16 Two Domestic Shorthair cats, an intact male and spayed female (both 8 years old) from south Georgia, developed subcutaneous swellings in lumbar and ventral neck areas, respectively. A subcutaneous epithelial cyst or abscess was suspected clinically.…”

“…16 How cats serve as paratenic hosts and harbor tissue sparganosis is speculative. 11 Tissue sparganosis is suggested to develop in cats when cats ingest sparganum of a species not normally parasitic for cats 16 or when cats ingest crustaceans containing procercoids, which then develop into the parenteral spargana. 11 In a cat with proliferative peritoneal sparganosis, 3 it was speculated that the cat ingested infected copepods and served as an abnormal second intermediate host in which the spargana developed.…”

“…Adult tapeworm has been reported several times in cats in the United States. 16 How cats serve as paratenic hosts and harbor tissue sparganosis is speculative. 11 Tissue sparganosis is suggested to develop in cats when cats ingest sparganum of a species not normally parasitic for cats 16 or when cats ingest crustaceans containing procercoids, which then develop into the parenteral spargana.…”

“…3,6,14 The adult tapeworm infects dogs, cats, and other carnivores 8 and causes little or no clinical signs. 16…”