Acute primary toxoplasmic pancreatitis in a cat

Toxoplasmosis in cats in generally a subclinical infection caused by Toxopl asma gondii. Cats are the definitive host and usually become infected by in gesting tissue cysts found in the tissues of infected animals. Following in gestion, both asexual and sexual cycles occur in the intestine (enteroepith elial cycle), and infected cats shed large numbers of environmentally resis tant oocysts in their feces. Simultaneously with the enteroepithelial cycle , T gondii tachyzoites multiply in the lamina propria of the intestine and disseminate throughout the body via vascular routes. Clinical disease assoc iated with systemic feline toxoplasmosis is occasionally a manifestation of this dissemination, as replication of tachyzoites in cells such as fibrobl asts, smooth muscle, macrophages, neurons, and myocardiocytes can result in necrosis. Antemortem diagnosis of clinical toxoplasmosis in cats is rare. Clinical disease is generally manifested as pneumonia, and necropsy finding s generally document multisystemic organ involvement, including lung, liver , brain, pancreas, lymph node, intestine, eye, and myocardium. Most commonl y, lesions occur in the lungs and in descending order of frequency in brain , liver, pancreas, and heart. This report documents an unusually case of cl inical systemic feline toxoplasmosis in which clinical signs and necropsy f indings were centered on pancreatitis. Clinical and morphological findings are presented.