First report of Dracunculus insignis in two naturally infected cats from the northeastern USA.

[dracunculiasis]

Dracunculiasis is rarely reported in cats , yet over the last few years we have identified two cats with filarioid-like spirurid infections . Case 1 was a 9 -year -old cat with pituitary -dependent hyperadrenocorticism from New York tate from which four adult dracunculoid nematodes were isolated from its torso . Based on morphometric characteristics and parasite geographic distribution , the specimens were identified as Dracunculus insignis females ; at least one of the females was gravid , suggestive of patent infection . Species identification was confirmed through amplification and sequence analysis of nuclear and mitochondrial loci . Case 2 was a 14 -year -old diabetic cat from Massachusetts . Formalin-fixed sections were obtained from a subcutaneous mass excised from the left foreleg . Histopathological examination revealed a large nematode with morphometrical characteristics of Dracunculus , surrounded by lymphocytes and sheets of eosinophils . These two cases appear to be the first published reports of dracunculiasis in domestic cats in the USA , and based on the findings from case 1 , D insignis may be the species associated with both infections .