TOXOPLASMA PNEUMONIA IN A CAT WITH INCONGRUOUS SEROLOGICAL TEST-RESULTS

A 12-year-old neutered male domestic short-haired cat was presented' for rapid breathing, lethargy of two weeks' duration and chronic weight loss. A diagnosis of toxoplasma-induced pneumonia was made based on clinical signs, laboratory data, radiology, immunoglobulin M (IgM) serology and isolation of the organism from a lung aspirate. A passive haemagglutination test to measure immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels against toxoplasma was negative. The reliability of agglutination tests, to accurately diagnose an acute toxoplasma infection is questioned. In acute infections the use of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for IgM may be more specific.