Toxoplasmosis In Animals: Causes And Symptoms, Treatment And Prevention

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Toxoplasmosis In Animals: Causes And Symptoms, Treatment And Prevention
Toxoplasmosis In Animals: Causes And Symptoms, Treatment And Prevention

Video: Toxoplasmosis In Animals: Causes And Symptoms, Treatment And Prevention

Video: Toxoplasmosis In Animals: Causes And Symptoms, Treatment And Prevention
Video: Toxoplasmosis | Acquired vs Congenital | Signs, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment 2024, March
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Toxoplasmosis of animals is a dangerous pathology, the causative agent of which is toxoplasma gondi. This disease affects animals, from domestic to wild representatives, birds and people. The final hosts of Toxoplasma are representatives of the feline family, and all steel animals, birds and humans act as intermediate hosts.

Content

  • 1 Development of the parasite
  • 2 Ways of infection of animals
  • 3 Symptoms
  • 4 Diagnostics
  • 5 Treatment
  • 6 Prevention of infection

Parasite development

Toxoplasma gondi parasitizes inside animal cells. The spread of toxoplasmosis is facilitated by representatives of the feline family, releasing cysts of parasites into the environment along with feces.

The development of this parasitic form consists in passing through 3 stages:

  • the formation of sporulated oocysts;
  • development to tachyzoites;
  • conversion to bradyzoites.

In the cat's body, in the area of the small intestinal epithelium, the division of the larva begins, during which individuals of 3 species are formed:

  • female;
  • male;
  • asexual.

Individuals begin to actively reproduce, forming oocysts protected by a shell consisting of 2 layers. A sick cat, together with feces, excretes oocysts into the external environment, where they develop to an infectious form under the influence of moisture and heat. The duration of such ripening directly depends on the favorable conditions. Interestingly, oocysts remain viable at a temperature of + 4–55 degrees. In the aquatic environment, they do not die for several years.

Further, the oocysts end up in the body of the intermediate host, where they are formed into tachyzoites, which in their appearance resemble tangerine slices. This parasitic form has the ability to rapidly divide in any cells of the body.

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Bradyzoites, having settled in the tissues, surround themselves with a cavity, which is then filled with exudate resembling jelly in consistency. Such a cavity is characterized by heterogeneous surfaces, which enable the parasite to anchor itself more firmly in organ tissues.

Ways of infection of animals

The invasion of animals occurs in the following ways:

  • when eating food contaminated with oocysts or drinking liquid;
  • when eating meat, where bradyzoite capsules appeared;
  • when eating cat feces or when drinking water from a contaminated puddle;
  • tachyzoites can penetrate from mother to her fetus, the cub can become infected by feeding on breast milk;
  • during surgical interventions that occur with blood transfusion.

The most popular route of infection is eating raw or undercooked meat with parasitic cysts

Symptoms

Toxoplasmosis can develop with pronounced symptoms, and acquire a latent form there. The appearance of symptoms mainly depends on the presence of other pathologies in the animal, the concentration of parasites, and the lifestyle.

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Usually, this pathology is manifested by the following symptoms:

  • an increase in temperature;
  • the appearance of muscle tremors;
  • refusal to eat;
  • failures in respiratory function;
  • regular vomiting;
  • lethargy;
  • the appearance of discharge mixed with pus from the nasal region;
  • neuralgia;
  • upset stool;
  • pathologies of the eyeballs;
  • disorders in motor coordination;
  • fetal death of females during pregnancy.

Symptoms of damage to internal organs, inflammation in the lungs, enlargement of the lymph nodes, enlargement of the liver or spleen, inflammation in the stomach and small intestinal region can join the described symptoms.

Diagnostics

Several methods are used to diagnose the disease.

  • inspection;
  • questioning the owner of the animal;
  • laboratory research;
  • ultrasound;
  • referral to radiography of the abdominal organs;
  • bioassay on susceptible animals. This method consists in the introduction of a pathological biomaterial mixed with saline solution into mice. If the animal dies after 3 weeks, its organs are examined under a microscope, and a diagnosis is made based on the results;
  • the use of serological techniques that allow the detection of antibodies in the blood serum 1-2 weeks after the invasion;
  • application of the polymerase chain reaction technique, which allows detecting fragments of parasitic DNA in the material submitted for analysis. For such an analysis, it is necessary to donate lymph, bronchial mucus, urine, blood, and in some cases, cerebrospinal fluid is needed;
  • examination of the deceased calf is carried out if a spontaneous abortion was provoked.

The diagnosis is established with the effective use of specific medications.

Treatment

Therapy of toxoplasmosis in animals does not allow to completely get rid of parasitic individuals. This is due to the fact that medications are not able to act on bradyzoites hiding in the created capsules. Protozoa regularly form new strains resistant to drug action. Basically, this resistance develops against the background of misuse of drugs. Therefore, the main goal of treatment is to stop the multiplication of parasites.

For this, veterinarians use the following medications:

  • Daraprim;
  • Pyrimethamine;
  • Toltrazuril;
  • Clindamycin;
  • Spiramycin.

For pregnant females, only Spiramycin is prescribed. To reduce the risk of toxin damage, folic acid is additionally prescribed. In advanced cases, it is necessary to perform an injection of 5% glucose solution, which is given intravenously. Gamavit is prescribed to strengthen the immune system. For the same purposes, the following can be assigned:

  • B vitamins;
  • vitamin C;
  • various immunomodulators.

The course of treatment and dosage of drugs are established by the veterinarian based on research data. The average duration of therapy is 1–3 months. During treatment, a serological study is done every 14 days to determine the effectiveness of therapy. If a negative result is obtained, veterinarians cancel systemic medications, and therapy continues with the help of diuretics, anti-inflammatory drugs.

Prevention of infection

Due to the fact that toxoplasmosis is completely incurable, animals should be provided with quality care that eliminates the risk of contracting this disease. The owners must know that Toxoplasma is transmitted to humans. To eliminate the risk of infection, several rules must be followed.

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  1. Raw meat should be completely excluded from the pet's diet or it should be deep-frozen. When heat treated with high and low temperatures, the parasites die.
  2. The litter box should be cleaned every day, and after washing the litter box it should be treated with antibacterial agents. Such measures will eliminate the risk of oocyst contamination. By the way, a person should wash the tray with gloves.
  3. Pet blood must be donated every year for the detection of parasites.
  4. In no case should pets be allowed to come into contact with cat feces during a walk, drink water from puddles.
  5. On agricultural farms where livestock are raised, cats, dogs and other pets must not be kept.

For toxoplasmosis, preventive medications have not been developed that would be able to develop immunity in the animal's body to the effects of these parasites. Therefore, to minimize the risk of infestation, you should carefully monitor your pets or livestock, and provide good living conditions.

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