Rare case of Dioctophyme renale (Nematoda: Enoplida) and Dirofilaria sp. (Nematoda: Spirurida) in the subcutaneous tissue of a cat in Espírito Santo, Brazil

Abstract

Dioctophyme renale is the largest parasitic nematode of animals. It is most often found in the right kidney, but can also occur in the urinary system, ears, free abdominal cavity, mammary gland, thoracic cavity, and more rarely in subcutaneous tissue. The genus Dirofilaria has specific parasitic characteristics according to its location, and may parasitize the respiratory tract or even the skin, varying according to species. This report describes a case of Dioctophyme renale and Dirofilaria sp. in the subcutaneous tissue of a cat in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil. An adult male mongrel cat showed physical enlargement in the left inguinal region, diagnosed as a subcutaneous nodule. Surgical excision and histopathological evaluation of the nodule were performed, and Dioctophyme renale and Dirofilaria sp. were found inside. Dioctophymosis and heartworm disease are present in Brazil and most other countries, but this is the unprecedented case of the association of Dioctophyme renale and Dirofilaria sp. in the subcutaneous tissue of a cat.

Keywords

• Dioctophymosis
• Dirofilariosis
• Feline
• Subcutis