Tritrichomonas foetus infection, a cause of chronic diarrhea in the domestic cat.

Chaoqun Yao,Liza S Köster

doi:10.1186/s13567-015-0169-0

Chaoqun Yao, Liza S Köster

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s13567-015-0169-0

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Abstract

Tritrichomonas foetus is a very intriguing trichomonad protozoan with respect to its varied choice of residence in the different host species. It is an obligate parasite of the reproductive and the gastrointestinal tract of bovine and feline host respectively, leading to trichomonosis. Bovine trichomonosis is a sexually transmitted disease whereas feline trichomonosis is a disease with a purported fecal-oral route of spread. Further, the trichomonad is a commensal in the nasal passages, stomach, cecum and colon of swine host. Advances have been exponential in understanding the trichomonad biology and specifically feline trichomonosis since late 1990s and early 2000s when T. foetus was soundly determined to be a causative agent of chronic diarrhea in the domestic cat. It is a challenging task, even for a skilled investigator not to mention the busy clinical veterinarian, to keep up with the vast volume of information. Here we comprehensively reviewed the trichomonad biology, clinical manifestations, pathogenesis, host immunity, world map of distribution, risk factors, diagnosis and treatment. Risk factors associated with T. foetus-positive status in the domestic cat include young age, purebred, history of diarrhea, co-infections with other enteral pathogens. In addition, molecular similarity of bovine and feline isolates of T. foetus in DNA sequence was concisely discussed. The data presented serve as an information source for veterinarians, and investigators who are interested in biology of T. foetus and feline trichomonosis.

Highlights

Tritrichomonas foetus is a very intriguing trichomonad protozoan with respect to its varied choice of residence in the different host species
The name of T. foetus is kept in the current review as well as in the title referring the feline isolate unless otherwise stated in order to be consistent with literature and to avoid confusion among readers
Paromomycin has been tested in vitro using a 24-h sensitivity assay and the results showed no effect at minimum lethal concentrations (MLC) ≤ 80 μg/mL [74]

Summary

Epidemiology

A study examined an chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH) technique using T. foetus and P. hominis probes on formalin archived small and large intestinal samples collected from young (4 weeks to 2 years of age) cats with diarrhea [71]. This technique is apparently more reliable than FISH technique as mammalian red blood cells, roughly the same size as trichomonads, auto-fluoresce. No adverse effects were reported in the original study that examined ronidazole as a treatment for T. foetus at doses as high as 50 mg/kg, twice daily and hematology and biochemistry results remained within reference range and did not change as compared to pretreatment values [75]. No side-effects were noted with relapse reported in both groups but cats that received the probiotic with the ronidazole were less likely to relapse

11. Conclusions

16. Acknowledgments

Findings

17. References