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Toxoplasma gondii ‐like organisms in skin aspirates from a cat with disseminated protozoal infection
Author(s) -
Little, Liz,
Shokek, Amy,
Dubey, J. P.,
DeHeer Heather Leigh
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
veterinary clinical pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.537
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1939-165X
pISSN - 0275-6382
DOI - 10.1111/j.1939-165x.2005.tb00030.x
Subject(s) - toxoplasma gondii , biology , virology , microbiology and biotechnology , protozoa , toxoplasmosis , pathology , medicine , immunology , antibody
An 8‐year‐old, male domestic shorthair cat was referred to the Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania with a 3‐day history of lethargy, inappetance, hyperemic skin nodules, coughing, and vomiting. Laboratory results included nonregenerative anemia, lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia, hypoalbuminemia, hyponatremia, and increased alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities. Cytology of the skin nodules revealed many spindle‐ to crescent‐shaped protozoal organisms, with morphology consistent with Toxoplasma gondii or Neospora caninum . Gross necropsy, histopathologic, immunohistochemical, and transmission electron microscopic findings confirmed a systemic protozoal infection; however, the organism exhibited characteristics of both N caninum and T gondii . Diagnosis of a T gondii –like infection was based on internal structures of the organism and positive reaction to rabbit polyclonal antibodies to T gondii . Reports of toxoplasmic dermatitis are rare in the cat and dog, and this is the first reported diagnosis of T gondii –like protozoa in skin aspirates.