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Feline diarrhoea associated with Tritrichomonas cf. foetus and Giardia co‐infection in an Australian cattery
Author(s) -
Bissett SA,
Gowan RA,
O’Brien CR,
Stone MR,
Gookin JL
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
australian veterinary journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.382
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1751-0813
pISSN - 0005-0423
DOI - 10.1111/j.1751-0813.2008.00356.x
Subject(s) - tritrichomonas foetus , giardia , trichomoniasis , kitten , failure to thrive , biology , paromomycin , protozoan infection , medicine , virology , cats , microbiology and biotechnology , antibiotics , pathology , pregnancy , fetus , genetics , aminoglycoside
A 10‐week‐old female Ocicat was presented at a primary care feline veterinary practice for failure to thrive and diarrhoea. Numerous trophozoites, atypical for Giardia sp., were detected on a direct faecal examination, in addition to Giardia cysts. Although the failure to thrive and diarrhoea resolved following treatment for giardiasis, further diagnostic tests performed on faecal specimens from the kitten and 15 other Ocicats from the same cattery, including culture of trophozoites in In Pouch™ medium, PCR testing and molecular sequencing of PCR amplicons, confirmed infection with Tritrichomonas cf. foetus. This is the first report in Australia of feline trichomoniasis, which appears to be an emerging infectious disease of cats. Pertinent information regarding the clinical features, diagnosis, therapy, and potential source of feline trichomoniasis within Australia are discussed.