Report of rare case of intense parasitism by 34 specimens of Dioctophyme renale in a dog

Abstract Dioctophymosis is caused by Dioctophyme renale, a nematode that usually affects the right kidney of carnivores. The aim of this study was to report on a case of a dog with progressive weight loss and swollen abdomen that was diagnosed as presenting dioctophymosis. The patient underwent surgical treatment through which 34 nematodes were found, of which 18 were female and 16 were male, with a maximum length of 74 centimeters. The parasites were free in the abdominal cavity and inside the right kidney, and had caused peritonitis, free fluid, severe adherences between the abdominal organs and renal perforation. Parasitic diseases with a high number of specimens of this species are uncommon in dogs. The disease progresses with an inflammatory reaction and consequent formation of adherences and granulomatous tissue. This surrounds the eggs that were eliminated in the abdominal cavity by the free parasites. This disease occurs frequently in the city of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, where the patient of this report was living. To the best of authors’ knowledge, this is the case with the largest number of specimens of D. renale removed from a single dog in vivo.

【摘要】肾膨结线虫病（Dioctophymosis）由肾膨结线虫（Dioctophyme renale）引起，该线虫通常寄生于食肉动物的右肾。本研究旨在报告一例以进行性体重减轻、腹部膨大为临床特征的犬肾膨结线虫病病例。该患犬接受手术治疗，术中共检出34条该线虫，其中雌虫18条、雄虫16条，最长虫体可达74厘米。寄生虫游离于腹腔及右肾腔内，引发了腹膜炎、腹腔游离积液、腹腔脏器间严重粘连以及肾穿孔。犬体内检出大量该种寄生虫的病例较为罕见。本病进展过程中会伴随炎症反应，进而形成粘连及肉芽肿组织，包绕由游离寄生虫排入腹腔的虫卵。本病在巴西南里奥格兰德州佩洛塔斯市高发，本报告中的患犬即居住于该地。据作者所知，本病例为首例从活体犬体内取出最多数量肾膨结线虫的案例。