Free Dioctophyma renale in the Abdominal Cavity of one Bitch

Abstract

Background: The disease dioctophymatosis caused by the parasite Dioctophyma renale is a matter of veterinary public health, mainly in the control of zoonoses, monitoring of environmental pollution related to animals, hygiene and protection of animals. The Fish and frogs are paratenic hosts after ingestion of parasitized annelids. Humans and animals are definitive hosts after ingestion of intermediate or paratenic hosts with infective larvae. The objective was to describe a case of Canis lupus familiaris from a rural region, infested by a free adult D. renale in the abdominal cavity, indicating an alert for this zoonosis.

Case: A 2-year-old bitch mixed breed, weighing 15,700 kg, from the rural area of the city of Miguel Pereira, state of Rio de Janeiro, was submitted to elective hysterectomy surgery. Routine preoperative tests were requested (hemogram, Alt, Ast, urea, creatinine, EAS and echocardiogram), with all results unchanged, eight-hour fasting and four-hour water fasting. The animal was sent to the operating room and submitted to pre anesthesia, induction and maintenance of anesthesia. At laparotomy, a dark red cylindrical worm was seen immobile inside the abdominal cavity over the viscera, which was removed with the aid of anatomical tweezers, identified as a female Dioctophyma renale, 51 cm long. The abdominal cavity was visualized to check for further peritoneal and kidney damage. Based on the physical clinical examination and the results of the laboratory tests, it was decided to perform the initial elective surgical indication. The laparotomy suture was performed in the midline with 2-0 nylon thread, subcutaneous with 2-0 polyglactin thread, both with continuous sutures and the skin suture was with simple stitches separated with nylon. The postoperative protocol immediate consisted of analgesia and abdominal ultrasound was requested, which was not authorized by the tutor. Mediate postoperative analgesia, anti-inflammatory and antibiotic and healing ointment in the surgical wound. Healing was by primary intention and the skin stitches were removed 10 days after the surgical procedure. After 24 h of removal of the stitches, the bitch, when urinating, expelled a dark red cylindrical worm with a length measured at 25 cm when the person responsible for the animal again claimed the need for an ultrasound. After the arguments, he agreed and authorized the imaging exam.

Discussion: The reported case drew attention to municipalities that have rural areas with freshwater springs and that receive visits from wild animals and stray dogs. It is important to carry out new studies involving Dioctophyma renale and epidemiological data to better understand and facilitate the prevention and control of zoonosis, especially with regard to the capture, commercialization and consumption of fish from these regions in order to avoid transmission of this nematode (giant kidney worm) to humans. The zoonosis dioctophymatosis needs to be investigated on the epidemiological aspects of each region, where domestic and wild animals cohabit, and that there are favorable conditions such as freshwater sources for infestations of this parasite to occur, in addition to strict control of hygiene and inspection of food and of products of animal origin.

Keywords: dioctophymatosis, dioctophymosis, zoonotic disease, giant kidney worm, parasite, nematoda.

Título: Dioctophyma renale livre na cavidade abdominal de uma cadela

Descritores: dioctofimatose, dioctofimose, doença zoonótica, parasita, nematoides.