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Further studies of neuroangiostrongyliasis (rat lungworm disease) in Australian dogs: 92 new cases (2010–2020) and results for a novel, highly sensitive qPCR assay

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 August 2020

Rogan Lee ,
Tsung-Yu Pai ,
Richard Churcher ,
Sarah Davies ,
Jody Braddock ,
Michael Linton ,
Jane Yu ,
Erin Bell ,
Justin Wimpole  and
Anna Dengate
...Show all authors
Rogan Lee*
Affiliation:
Parasitology Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology Lab Services, Level 3 ICPMR, Westmead Hospital, NSW, Australia
Tsung-Yu Pai
Affiliation:
Parasitology Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology Lab Services, Level 3 ICPMR, Westmead Hospital, NSW, Australia
Richard Churcher
Affiliation:
North Shore Veterinary Specialist Centre, 63 Herbert St, Artarmon, NSW2064, Australia
Sarah Davies
Affiliation:
Veterinary Imaging Associates, PO Box 300, St. LeonardsNSW1590, Australia
Jody Braddock
Affiliation:
Sydney Veterinary Emergency and Specialists, 675 Botany Road, RoseberryNSW2018, Australia
Michael Linton
Affiliation:
Sydney Veterinary Emergency and Specialists, 675 Botany Road, RoseberryNSW2018, Australia
Jane Yu
Affiliation:
Sydney School of Veterinary Science, University of SydneyNSW2006, Australia
Erin Bell
Affiliation:
Sydney Veterinary Emergency and Specialists, 675 Botany Road, RoseberryNSW2018, Australia
Justin Wimpole
Affiliation:
Small Animal Specialist Hospital, Level 1, 1 Richardson Place, North Ryde, NSW2113, Australia
Anna Dengate
Affiliation:
Northside Veterinary Specialists, 335 Mona Vale Rd, Terrey Hills, NSW2084, Australia
David Collins
Affiliation:
Northside Veterinary Specialists, 335 Mona Vale Rd, Terrey Hills, NSW2084, Australia
Narelle Brown
Affiliation:
Animal Referral Hospital, 250 Parramatta Rd, HomebushNSW2140, Australia
George Reppas
Affiliation:
Vetnostics, 60 Waterloo Road, 60 Waterloo Rd, Macquarie ParkNSW2113, Australia
Susan Jaensch
Affiliation:
Vetnostics, 60 Waterloo Road, 60 Waterloo Rd, Macquarie ParkNSW2113, Australia
Matthew K. Wun
Affiliation:
Veterinary Specialist Services, 1-15 Lexington Rd, Underwood, QLD4119, Australia
Patricia Martin
Affiliation:
Veterinary Pathology Diagnostic Services (VPDS), Building B14, the University of Sydney NSW2006, Australia
William Sears
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD, USA
Jan Šlapeta
Affiliation:
Sydney School of Veterinary Science, University of SydneyNSW2006, Australia Veterinary Pathology Diagnostic Services (VPDS), Building B14, the University of Sydney NSW2006, Australia
Richard Malik
Affiliation:
Centre for Veterinary Education, B22, University of Sydney, NSW2006, Australia School of Veterinary and Animal Science, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW2678, Australia
*
Author for correspondence: Rogan Lee, E-mail: [email protected], Jan Šlapeta, E-mail: [email protected], Richard Malik, E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

The principal aim of this study was to optimize the diagnosis of canine neuroangiostrongyliasis (NA). In total, 92 cases were seen between 2010 and 2020. Dogs were aged from 7 weeks to 14 years (median 5 months), with 73/90 (81%) less than 6 months and 1.7 times as many males as females. The disease became more common over the study period. Most cases (86%) were seen between March and July. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was obtained from the cisterna magna in 77 dogs, the lumbar cistern in f5, and both sites in 3. Nucleated cell counts for 84 specimens ranged from 1 to 146 150 cells μL−1 (median 4500). Percentage eosinophils varied from 0 to 98% (median 83%). When both cisternal and lumbar CSF were collected, inflammation was more severe caudally. Seventy-three CSF specimens were subjected to enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) testing for antibodies against A. cantonensis; 61 (84%) tested positive, titres ranging from <100 to ⩾12 800 (median 1600). Sixty-one CSF specimens were subjected to real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) testing using a new protocol targeting a bioinformatically-informed repetitive genetic target; 53/61 samples (87%) tested positive, CT values ranging from 23.4 to 39.5 (median 30.0). For 57 dogs, it was possible to compare CSF ELISA serology and qPCR. ELISA and qPCR were both positive in 40 dogs, in 5 dogs the ELISA was positive while the qPCR was negative, in 9 dogs the qPCR was positive but the ELISA was negative, while in 3 dogs both the ELISA and qPCR were negative. NA is an emerging infectious disease of dogs in Sydney, Australia.

Keywords

Angiostrongylus cantonensisdogsELISAPCRrat lungworm
Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 148 , Special Issue 2: 6th International Workshop on Angiostrongylus and Angiostrongyliasis, Hilo, Hawai'i, USA, January, 2020 , February 2021 , pp. 178 - 186
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

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