Abstract
BackgroundThe feline lungworm Aelurostrongylus abstrusus affects the lower respiratory tract in cats worldwide. As infections may lead to chronic respiratory changes or even death, preventive treatment in cats with outdoor access is warranted.MethodsThe preventive efficacy of a spot-on solution (Bravecto® Plus spot-on solution for cats, MSD) against cat aelurostrongylosis was evaluated using three different preventive treatment regimes in a negative controlled, randomized and partially blinded laboratory efficacy study with 31 purposed-bred cats. The minimum recommended dose of 2.0 mg moxidectin + 40 mg fluralaner/kg bodyweight was applied once 12 (Group [G]1), 8 (G2) or 4 (G3) weeks before experimental infection with 300 third-stage larvae (L3) of A. abstrusus. Another group served as untreated control (G4). Individual faecal samples were analysed as of day 30 post infection (pi) to monitor larvae excretion. Necropsy was performed at days 47–50 pi. The lungs were examined macroscopically for pathological findings and (pre-)adult worms were counted to assess preventive efficacy.ResultsBeginning at day 32–40 pi, all cats of the control group were constantly shedding larvae of A. abstrusus, whereas only one animal of G1 excreted larvae at several consecutive days. In addition, two cats of G1 and G3 and three of G2 were positive on a single occasion. The geometric mean (GM) of the maximum number of excreted larvae was 7574.29 in the control group compared to 1.10 (G1), 1.19 (G2) and 0.53 (G3), resulting in a GM reduction of > 99.9% in all treatment groups. All lungs of the control animals showed severe or very severe alterations at necropsy, while in 94.44% of the treated cats lung pathology was rated as absent or mild. The GM number of (pre-)adult A. abstrusus retrieved from the lungs was 26.57 in the control group, 0.09 in G1 and 0.00 in G2 and G3. Thus, GM worm count reduction was 99.66% in G1 and 100% in G2 and G3.ConclusionsA single application of Bravecto® Plus spot-on solution at a dose of 2.0 mg moxidectin + 40 mg fluralaner/kg bodyweight reliably prevents cat aelurostrongylosis for at least 12 weeks.Graphical
Highlights
The feline lungworm Aelurostrongylus abstrusus affects the lower respiratory tract in cats worldwide
Most reports on A. abstrusus prevalence in cats originate from Europe, ranging between 0.1 and 10.7% in northern and central Europe [9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16] and between 8.0 and 27.3% in eastern and southern Europe [5, 17,18,19,20], but studies were conducted in Asia (e.g. Qatar 7.5% [21]), the Americas (e.g. Argentina 2.6% [22], Midwest USA 1.2%, Northeast USA 2.7% [23]) and Australia (e.g. Christmas Island 25.0% [24])
Study design To evaluate the preventive efficacy of a single dose of 2.0 mg moxidectin + 40 mg fluralaner/kg bodyweight (BW) as a spot-on solution against cat aelurostrongylosis, the substance (Bravecto® Plus spot-on solution for cats) was applied topically 4, 8 or 12 weeks prior to experimental inoculation with infective A. abstrusus Third-stage larvae (L3) in a negativecontrolled, randomized and partially blinded laboratory study
Summary
The feline lungworm Aelurostrongylus abstrusus affects the lower respiratory tract in cats worldwide. As infections may lead to chronic respiratory changes or even death, preventive treatment in cats with outdoor access is warranted. The minimum recommended dose of 2.0 mg moxidectin + 40 mg fluralaner/kg bodyweight was applied once 12 (Group [G]1), 8 (G2) or 4 (G3) weeks before experimental infection with 300 third-stage larvae (L3) of A. abstrusus. Another group served as untreated control (G4). Other factors that have been linked to a higher prevalence are neutering status [5, 13], FIV infection [25] and outdoor access [5, 10, 13]
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