Alveolar echinococcosis in a dog in Austria

Publikationen als Autor:in / Herausgeber:in der Vetmeduni

Degasperi, Brigitte; Ludewig, Eberhard; Gumpenberger, Michaela; Joachim, Anja; Lederer, Kristina; Hittmair, Katharina; Führer, Hans-Peter

Abstrakt

Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a zoonotic infectious disease caused by the invasive growth of the larval stages of the fox tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis (Echinococcus alveolaris), which leads to cystic alterations of parenchymatous organs, especially the liver. Canine AE is a consequence of the ingestion of infectious eggs from the faeces of their final hosts, mainly canids. In such cases, dogs serve as aberrant intermediate hosts and not as final hosts, as biologically intended. A three-year-old neutered, male mixedbreed dog with a large abdominal mass was referred to the small animal clinic of the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna. Diagnostic imaging identified a fluid-filled, thick-walled, non-septated structure of 14 x 13 cm between liver and stomach, which presumably originated from the liver. The mass and the affected liver lobes were surgically removed. Histopathological and parasitological examination of the tissue revealed metacestodes of E. multilocularis, confirmed by molecular (PCR/sequencing) and serological (ELISA and Western blotting) methods. The prognosis was considered cautious due to the alterations of the liver and the peritoneal lining. Treatment with albendazole (10 mg/kg orally once daily) was initiated to inhibit further cyst formation of the parasite. An abdominal ultrasonographic follow-up examination seven months after surgery showed no abnormal findings and serological examinations seven and nine-and-a-half months after surgery gave negative results. The incidence of human AE in Austria has been increasing since 2001, so we expect an increased rate of infection in other intermediate hosts, including dogs. Canine AE should be considered as a differential diagnosis for cystic, space-occupying masses in the abdomen.

Dokumententyp

Originalarbeit

Open Access Type

Diamond

DOI

10.5680/wtm000002