Sudden death in cats as a consequence of heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis)

Abstract

The paper presents a case of sudden death in a cat as a result of infection with Dirofilaria immitis. Dirofilariosis in cats is rarely encountered in our country, and its incidence in the world ranges from 0.8% to 23%. As a consequence of the parasitism of adult forms, due to damage to the endothelium of the lung artery and its branches, endoarteritis occurs and thromboembolia develops, or lung fibrosis, with the frequent appearance of the phenomenon of "sudden death". Pathoanatomical examinations of the right heart ventricle and lung arteria showed 5 adult forms of cylindrical parasites, which, according to their place of parasitism and morphological appearance correspond to the finding of heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis). Pathohistological examinations of lung tissue sections revealed intensive edema in the lungs, that occurred as a consequence of the parasitism of adult forms of Dirofilaria immitis in the right heart ventricle and the lung artery and its branches. It was confirmed in this way that sudden death occurred as a result of the parasitism of heartworm Dirofilaria immitis. .

U radu je prikazan slučaj iznenadnog uginuća mačke kao posledica infekcije uzrokovane parazitom Dirofilaria immitis. Dirofilarioza mačaka se kod nas retko nalazi, a frekvencija pojavljivanja u svetu je od 0,8 posto do 23 posto. Kao posledica parazitiranja odraslih oblika, usled oštećenja endotela plućne arterije i njenih grana nastaje razvoj endoarteritisa sa posledičnom tromboembolijom ili fibrozom pluća i čestim iznenadnim uginućem. Patoanatomskim pregledom u desnoj srčanoj komori i plućnoj arteriji uočeno je pet odraslih oblika valjkastih parazita koji prema svom mestu parazitiranja i morfološkom izgledu odgovaraju nalazu Dirofilaria immitis. Patohistološkim pregledom isečaka tkiva pluća ustanovljen je intenzivni edem pluća koji se javio kao posledica parazitiranja odraslih oblika Dirofilaria immitis u desnoj srčanoj komori, plućnoj arteriji i njenim ograncima. Na ovaj način potvrđeno je da je iznenadno uginuće nastupilo kao posledica oštećenja izazvanih parazitom Dirofilaria immitis. .