How heartworm disease identified in Spain increases cat allergy risk

Cats Are Easily Infected Heartworm enteritis, a vector-borne nematode that causes heartworm disease. Feline heartworm can emerge in two ways: when the larvae reach the pulmonary arteries, approximately 3 to 4 months after the initial infection; and when the adult parasite dies.two-way Creates an acute inflammatory response in the pulmonary arterieslung parenchyma and airways, leading to heartworm-associated respiratory disease (HARD).

this Clinical symptoms exhibited by infected cats D. Thick line They are mainly respiratory in nature. Much like other, more common conditions, such as feline asthma or chronic bronchitis, feline heartworm is often confused with these conditions.

In addition, feline asthma or allergic bronchitis can cause airway hyperresponsiveness and remodeling, as well as eosinophilic inflammation, leading to airflow limitation; these symptoms are also similar to cats with feline heartworm.

Dyspnea, shortness of breath, and intermittent coughing are the most common symptoms of feline heartworm, but Infected cats may also be asymptomatic

Or show non-specific clinical symptoms, sometimes sudden death is the only result.

For these reasons, Feline Heartworm Diagnosis Is Difficult And are easily overlooked by owners and veterinarians.Another complication in detecting D. immitis infection is Infected cats usually have very few adult worms

which requires the use of serological techniques (antigen and antibody detection tests) combined with imaging techniques (chest radiology and echocardiography) to achieve the correct diagnosis.

Likewise, some parasites have been shown to play a role in the development of the allergic process.For example, there is evidence that certain nematodes, such as D. Thick linemay increase human sensitization to allergens.

Allergy is considered a multifactorial pathology, and Different risk factors for developing allergies have been described.encompassing a wide range of environmental, infectious (viral agents), genetic and cultural variables.

This relationship has also been studied and confirmed in other vertebrates (i.e. dogs, mice, pigs). However, Barely explored in cats.

Therefore, the purpose of a study is to Sarah N.Yves Garciarrive, Noelia Costa, Jorge Matos, Yaiza Falcon, Elena Carleton and Jose A.Alberto montoya from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and Rodrigo Morjon Researchers at the University of Salamanca teamed up with Merck Animal Health to check whether cats seropositive D. Thick line, Based on the presence of specific antibodies against the parasite, They are also allergic to certain environmental allergens.

Blood samples from 120 cats were collected and tested for the presence of specific IgG antibodies. D. Thick line Allergy to 20 allergens using a commercial allergen testing kit.

High prevalence of allergies

Of the 120 cats tested, 60% were positive for IgG antisera D Enteritis, and a 45.8% showed clinical symptoms of respiratory Dirofilaria.The test results of the allergen kit showed that 50.8% of cats were seropositive to ≥ 1 allergenis the most common allergen Dust mite (25.8%), house dust mite (20.0%), Malassezia (17.5%) and Catfish (14.2%).

Allergy prevalence was significantly higher (almost threefold) in seropositive cats D. Thick line (68.1% vs. 25%). There were no significant differences between the prevalence and presence/absence of symptoms in allergic cats, and the results confirmed that: Symptoms are not a determinant of the presence of an allergy.

Thus, “seropositive cats were 6.3 times more likely to develop allergies” D. Thick line seronegative cats confirm D. immitis seropositive is a risk factor“.

After the study, the authors explained how cats diagnosed with heartworm disease developed severe respiratory symptoms that could lead to permanent lung damage and predisposing cats to hyperresponsive airway diseaseand “These results support suspicions of contact with D. Thick line

It may be a risk factor for the presence of allergies.

However, they mention that the results must be interpreted with caution given the study’s limitations, and that although they provide interesting information, “future studies should be encouraged to focus on determining whether there is a causal relationship between the development/exacerbation of allergy and infection” after D. Thick line“.