Fulminant Tritrichomonas foetus 'feline genotype' infection in a 3-month old kitten associated with viral co-infection

Vet Parasitol. 2019 Mar:267:17-20. doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2018.12.007. Epub 2018 Dec 21.

Abstract

Tritrichomonas foetus is a flagellate protist which commonly causes a waxing and waning large bowel diarrhoea in young cats. We report severe T. foetus infection of the colon, cecum and ileum with concurrent feline enteric coronavirus (FCoV) and feline panleukopenia virus (FPV) in a 3-month-old Bengal kitten with an 8-day history of vomiting, diarrhoea, failure to thrive and coughing. Protozoa filling the lumen and crypts and occasional invading into lamina propria were identified within the affected colon and confirmed by PCR as T. foetus 'feline genotype'. Assessment of faeces by PCR revealed concurrent infection with FCoV and FPV. It is possible that immunosuppression by FPV played a role in the unprecedented T. foetus infection intensity observed histologically. Studies during and after resolution of FPV infection, will be critical to determine if T. foetus co-infection affects long-term prognosis of FPV survivors.

Keywords: Australia; Coronavirus; Histopathology; Parvovirus; Tritrichomonas.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cat Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Cat Diseases / parasitology*
  • Cat Diseases / virology
  • Cats / parasitology
  • Cats / virology
  • Coinfection / parasitology*
  • Coinfection / virology*
  • Colon / parasitology
  • Coronavirus
  • Coronavirus Infections / parasitology
  • Coronavirus Infections / veterinary*
  • Diarrhea / parasitology
  • Feces / parasitology
  • Feline Panleukopenia / parasitology
  • Feline Panleukopenia Virus
  • Female
  • Genotype
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Protozoan Infections, Animal / virology*
  • Tritrichomonas foetus / genetics*
  • Tritrichomonas foetus / isolation & purification