Otoscopy and aural cytological findings in a population of rescue cats and cases in a referral small animal hospital in England and Wales.

OBJECTIVES: Otitis externa is seen clinically in cats, although studies investigating this condition within the UK are lacking. The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of Otodectes cynotis mites and microbial infection in the ear canals of cats in various rescue centres and a referral hospital. METHODS: Otoscopy was performed in 332 cats. Otoscopic findings were noted, including the gross visualisation of Otodectes species. A sample of cerumen was collected for cytological evaluation and a cerumen smear for detection of Otodectes mites if there was a large amount of aural exudate present. RESULTS: O cynotis infestation was noted in 3/341 cats (0.9%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.3-2.6). A total of 129/341 (37.8%; 95% CI 32.7-43.0) cats were found to have Malassezia species within one or both ears. Bacteria were found unilaterally in 9/341 (2.6%; 95% CI 1.4-4.9) cats. Analysis of the cytological findings showed an increased likelihood for Malassezia species to be present as age increased (n = 293; Pearson r = 0.204, P <0.001). There was also an increased likelihood of finding Malassezia species in both ears if found within one ear (n = 327; r = 0.499, P <0.001). There was a positive correlation between the number of Malassezia organisms and the quantity of aural exudate (n = 338; r = 0.778, P <0.001). Cats in which Otodectes species infestation were noted (n = 3) had moderate or large quantities of cerumen. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This study shows that there was a low prevalence of O cynotis in this cohort of cats. In normal cats it was not unusual to find Malassezia microorganisms upon aural cytology, bacteria were noted far less frequently and in two cats this was associated with underlying anatomical pathology.

Comparison of three methods for the diagnosis of otoacariasis due to Otodectes cynotis in dogs and cats.

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of otoacariasis due to Otodectes cynotis is based on the visualization of the parasite, either directly by otoscopy or indirectly after microscopic examination of cerumen collected by several methods. OBJECTIVES: To compare the sensitivity of three techniques: conventional handheld otoscopy, Volkmann's curette sampling and cotton-tipped swabbing. ANIMALS: Five dogs and 12 cats (30 naturally infested ears). METHODS AND MATERIALS: For each case, following otoscopy, the order of examinations (swab or curette) was chosen randomly and the samples were observed on a slide mixed with lactophenol and covered with a coverslip. Parasite detection was noted as positive or negative and parasitic stages were counted separately. RESULTS: The diagnostic sensitivity of otoscopy alone was 67% (positive in 20 of 30 cases), using the curette sampling it was 93% (28/30) and 57% (17/30) for the swabbing. The curette technique had a significantly higher sensitivity than classic ear-swabbing (P = 0.001) or otoscopy alone (P = 0.02). Combining otoscopy and the curette, we obtained a sensitivity of 100% compared to 86% when otoscopy and swabbing were combined. Moreover, the parasite count in the curette samples (average 25 ± 30 SD) was significantly higher than the swab samples (4.5 ± 11) (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: When suspecting O. cynotis infestation, otoscopic examination should be performed. To confirm the nature of the parasites observed or whenever this examination result is negative, doubtful or cannot be performed, the curettage sampling method for microscopic cerumen examination is recommended.

Application of qPCR method to hair and cerumen samples for the diagnosis of canine leishmaniosis in Araçatuba, Brazil.

Visceral leishmaniosis (VL) remains a serious public health problem in Brazil. Dogs are the main hosts of the parasite, developing canine leishmaniosis (CanL), hence the importance of an accurate diagnosis of the animals. Recently, the application of qPCR method to non-invasive samples obtained from dogs with CanL has shown high sensitivity. Thus, we analyzed by qPCR blood, hair (from healthy zones and cutaneous lesions) and cerumen of 16 dogs with confirmed leishmaniosis from Araçatuba, a Brazilian endemic area. Cerumen-qPCR showed the highest sensitivity (87.5%), followed by hair (lesions: 78.57%, healthy skin: 62.5%), and blood (68.75%). We also analyzed blood, hair and cerumen of 5 healthy dogs from a non-endemic area, obtaining 100% of specificity in all samples. The use of cerumen and hair for qPCR analysis provides high reliability, taking into account the sensitivity and total specificity of the method. The non-invasive sampling procedure without the need of specific conditions of storage and transport support the usefulness of hair and cerumen for the diagnosis of CanL.

First detection of Leishmania kDNA in canine cerumen samples by qPCR.

Nowadays, searching for alternative non-invasive methods for molecular diagnosis of canine visceral leishmaniosis is getting increasingly important. We previously described the presence of Leishmania kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) in canine hair; in this case we hypothesized whether foreign DNA might be present in cerumen of dogs with leishmaniosis, and be detected by Real time quantitative PCR (qPCR). A population of 38 dogs that lived in Leishmania endemic areas was divided in two groups: A (33 dogs with confirmed leishmaniosis by serological techniques) and B (5 healthy dogs). Blood, lymph node, bone marrow and cerumen samples from all animals were tested for the presence of parasite kDNA. Our method was 100% specific, and in dogs from group A, Leishmania infantum kDNA was detected and quantified in the 100% of lymph node samples, in 90.9% of cerumen samples, in 88.5% of the bone marrow samples and in 57.6% of the blood samples. The qPCR-cerumen is a new non-invasive method that shows a high potential for the diagnosis of zoonotic visceral leishmaniosis.

[Topical selamectin treatment of Otodectes cynotis in Van Cats]. / Van kedilerinin kulak uyuzunun (Otodectes cynotis) topikal selamectin ile tedavisi.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was evaluate the efficacy of the use of selamectine in the treatment of O. cynotis in Van Cats. METHODS: The material of this study comprised of 30 Van Cat which were infected. RESULTS: In the clinical examination; restlessness, head shaking, scratching at the ears and wax in both ears with brown-black colored cerumens were found. In the otoscopic examination and analysing the samples, O. cynotis was determined. For treatment, single dose selamectin was given. At the 15th and 30th day after treatment, otoscopic and microscopic examinations were repeated. In the 15th day after the treatment, it was found that clinical symptoms seen in the animals were significantly reduced, only the cerumens in 4 cats remained. Besides, at the 30th day, it is found that all the clinical symptoms disappeared in all animals, and with the otoscopic and microscopic examination it was found that there were no agents of O. cynotis. CONCLUSION: As a result, due to the ease of usage in cats housed in a crowd and the reason the efficiency for the treatment used as a single dose, selamectine is efficient for treating O. cynotis in Van Cats and it can be used safely.

Ectoparasite infestations of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Hungary.

A survey was carried out to investigate the ectoparasite infestations of 100 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Hungary. The overall prevalence of flea and tick infestation was high (62 and 86% with the dominance of the anthropophil Pulex irritans and Ixodes ricinus), but the number of parasites was low to moderate. Felicola vulpis was not found in the present study, and the prevalence of Otodectes cynotis was only 2%. Based on prevalence (21%), mange lesion scores, and the negative correlation between lesion scores and condition of foxes, Sarcoptes infestation should be considered as the most important parasitosis of foxes in Hungary. Besides the ecological significance of these parasites, the high overall prevalence of mange and anthropophil flea and tick infestations of foxes and the appearance of these animals in the synanthropic environment as a result of the increasing population size, may result in the increasing incidence of flea, tick and accidental mite infestation of man and domestic animals, and may enhance the transmission rate of some vector-borne diseases.

Prevalence and geographical distribution of the ear canker mite (Otodectes cynotis) among arctic foxes (Alopex lagopus) in Iceland.

Three hundred forty five adult arctic foxes (Alopex lagopus) from all counties in Iceland were examined for excess cerumen and ear canker mites (Otodectes cynotis). Only 13 foxes (4%) from a single county in northwestern Iceland were infested, where the prevalence of otodectiasis was 38%. Whether or not this parasite is new to the arctic fox in Iceland is unknown. If it is recently introduced, possible sources of infestation are farmed silver foxes (Vulpes vulpes), domestic dogs, domestic or feral cats, and arctic foxes from Greenland. It appears that the rate of transmission between adult foxes is low; a more common route of transmission is probably from the mother to her offspring or between vixens breeding in the same dens in subsequent years by contamination of the dens. No correlation was found between the prevalence of mites in foxes and Samson character.