Dirofilaria repens in a cat with acute liver failure

Abstract

Acute liver failure was diagnosed in a 12-year-old cat. Fine needle aspirate cytology revealed high numbers of unsheathed microfilariae and a hepatocellular reaction with no evidence of bacterial infection. The microfilariae were identified as those of Dirofilaria repens by acid phosphatase staining. The high number of microfilariae seen in both the blood and the liver aspirate samples as well as the favourable response to ivermectin amongst other drugs administered, is suggestive that D. repens was the cause of the liver insult. A positive result obtained with an antigen-capture ELISA (Dirochek®) for Dirofilaria immitis antigen was interpreted as false. This is the 1st report of Dirofilaria repens for South Africa.