InPouch™ TF-Feline

Feline tritrichomoniasis is caused by Tritrichomonas foetus, a worldwide spread protozoon. Young cats, pure-bread cats (esp. Norwegian Forest cats) and cats from multicat households have an increased risk of infection. T. foetus has been known for a long time in the large animal sector: As cause of venereal disease in cattle, it also was proven in the gastrointestinal and nasal mucosa of pigs. Since 1996, there are reports from the US about chronic bowel diarrhoea in cats, caused by T. foetus.

Sequencing via PCR resulted in complete correlation (homology) with published sequences of T. foetus, so that the species-specific discrimination is not possible.

The route of T. foetus transmission in cats is orofecal. A species-crossing natural propagation of cattle or pigs onto cats (directly or via abort material) was not demonstrated until now. However, T. foetus cat strains were shown to be transferred artificially onto cattle and vice versa, although with a milder progress of disease. These reports give rise to extreme caution regarding the zoonotic transmission potential of T. foetus.

Clinically, the cats have chronic diarrhoea with frequent defecation in small portions. The stool often contains fresh blood and / or mucus and can be malodorous. The general condition and the appetite, however, are often undisturbed. The animals suffer from chronic diarrhoea up to 6-9 months, whereas spontaneous healings are possible. Careful attention is needed for the asymptomatic eliminators excreting T. foetus in small quantities for several years.

The detection of T. foetus can be done via direct feces plating, cultivation with InPouch™ TF-Feline or by PCR. The on-site method of choice is the incubation of material of a swab in the InPouch™ TF-Feline. For that, rectum swabs can be used.

Aspects for the direct detection in culture by InPouch™ TF-Feline are the exclusive growth, preservation of the typical morphology and the specific movement pattern of T. foetus.

By the use of InPouch™ TF-Feline, a potential misdiagnosis with Giardia duodenalis trophozoites and / or Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts, caused by the loss of movement in the cold and the formation of pseudo cysts, as it is easily possible in the direct feces smear, can be avoided. The application of InPouch™ TF-Feline enables the veterinarian to detect T. foetus on-site fast, simply and reliably. Confirmation of the microscopically diagnostics can be done in the laboratory directly from the sent-in InPouch™ TF-Feline culture pouch via PCR.

• Test Principle :  Culture
• Packaging :  10
• Pathogenic :  Tritrichomonas foetus