- Titel
- Fulminant Pneumonia Due to Reactivation of Latent Toxoplasmosis in a Cat
- Untertitel
- A Case Report
- Zitierfähige Url:
- https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:bsz:15-qucosa2-1006942
- Quellenangabe
- Pathogens
Erscheinungsjahr: 2024
Jahrgang: 13
Heft: 1
E-ISSN: 2076-0817
Artikelnummer: 7 - Erstveröffentlichung
- 2024
- Abstract (EN)
- Toxoplasma (T.) gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite with felids, including domestic cats, as definitive hosts. In immunocompetent individuals, T. gondii infection is usually asymptomatic. However, under immunosuppression, it may have severe pathological impacts, which often result from the reactivation of a chronic infection. In this case study, a 21-month-old female domestic shorthair cat—diagnosed with primary immune-mediated hemolytic anemia three months prior and treated with cyclosporine and prednisolone—presented with acute tachypnea, dyspnea, diarrhea, and anorexia. Thoracic radiography suggested severe pneumonia. Testing for Mycoplasma spp., Anaplasma spp., Ehrlichia spp., and lungworm infection was negative. Serology for T. gondii revealed seroconversion of IgG, but not of IgM, indicating previous exposure to T. gondii. The cat remained stable but tachypneic for three days, followed by an acute onset of dyspnea and clinical deterioration, after which euthanasia was elected. Numerous protozoa were present in a postmortem transtracheal bronchoalveolar lavage and fine-needle aspiration of the lung. Microsatellite typing classified the extracted DNA as T. gondii type II variant TgM-A. This case demonstrates that T. gondii reactivation, leading to fulminant pneumonia, can be a sequela of immunosuppressive treatment in cats and should, therefore, be considered as a differential diagnosis in immunosuppressed cats with acute-onset respiratory signs. Rapid diagnosis may prevent fatal consequences.
- Andere Ausgabe
- Erstveröffentlichung
DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13010007 - Freie Schlagwörter (EN)
- toxoplasma gondii, infective pneumonia, immunosuppression, zoonosis, cat, latent toxoplasmosis
- Klassifikation (DDC)
- 570
- 630
- Verlag
- MDPI, Basel
- Version / Begutachtungsstatus
- publizierte Version / Verlagsversion
- URN Qucosa
- urn:nbn:de:bsz:15-qucosa2-1006942
- Veröffentlichungsdatum Qucosa
- 01.12.2025
- Dokumenttyp
- Artikel
- Sprache des Dokumentes
- Englisch
- Lizenz / Rechtehinweis
CC BY 4.0