First ocular report of Gurltia paralysans (Wolffhügel, 1933) in cat

• Published in: Veterinary parasitology 2018-05, Vol.255, p.74-77
• Main Authors: Udiz-Rodríguez, Raquel, Garcia-Livia, Katherine, Valladares-Salmerón, Maria, Dorta-Almenar, Maria Naira, Martín-Carrillo, Natalia, Martin-Alonso, Aaron, Izquierdo-Rodriguez, Elena, Feliu, Carlos, Valladares, Basilio, Foronda, Pilar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Cat; Cat Diseases - diagnosis; Cat Diseases - parasitology; Cats; DNA, Helminth - genetics; Eye Infections, Parasitic - diagnosis; Eye Infections, Parasitic - parasitology; Eye Infections, Parasitic - veterinary; Gurltia paralysans; Male; Metastrongyloidea - isolation & purification; Ocular parasite; Phylogeny; RNA, Ribosomal, 18S - genetics; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Spain; Strongylida Infections - diagnosis; Strongylida Infections - parasitology; Strongylida Infections - veterinary
• ISSN: 0304-4017; 1873-2550
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2018.03.027

•The neglected feline parasite Gurltia paralysans has been found causing an ophthalmic case in cat for the first time.•Gurltia paralysans is a neurotropic nematode of domestic cats that never before was found as ectopic parasite.•Gurltia paralysans has only been reported in South America, so it is the first finding outside this continent. A two-year-old cat from Tenerife, Canary Islands (Spain), presented with two months history of uveitis in the left eye. It had been treated for two months but still showed an active uveitis. After new treatment, eye examination showed a mobile worm in the anterior chamber. Following surgical removal, the worm was obtained. Morphological study revealed that it was a male metastrongyloid nematode (Nematoda: Metastrongyloidea) with caudal bursa and two similar spicules. Molecular tools based on the 18Sr RNA gene sequence identified the parasite as Gurltia paralysans, which is a neurotropic nematode previously found in South America. Therefore, this article describes the first report of ophthalmic case of parasitism by G. paralysans, and cites for first time this species out of South America.