Contribution to the understanding of the pathogenesis and the therapeutic management of canine idiopathic eosinophilic bronchopneumopathy ; Contribution à la compréhension de la pathogénie et à la prise en charge thérapeutique de la bronchopneumopathie éosinophilique idiopathique du chien

Idiopathic eosinophilic bronchopneumopathy (EBP) is a chronic disease characterized by eosinophilic infiltration of the lung and bronchial mucosa in young adult dogs of medium-large breeds such as Siberian Huskies (Corcoran et al. 1991, Clercx et al. 2000, Clercx & Peeters 2007). Definitive diagnosis of idiopathic EBP requires combination of compatible clinical signs, radiographical features, bronchoscopy findings, cytologic evidence of bronchial or bronchoalveolar eosinophilic infiltration, and exclusion of potential other causes of eosinophilic airway inflammation such as cardio-pulmonary parasites. The aetiology of this chronic inflammatory condition is still unclear. An underlying type I hypersensitivity reaction is highly suspected while the inciting antigens remain mostly unidentified (Clercx et al. 2002, Peeters et al. 2005). The treatment usually consists in oral steroid therapy (Clercx & Peeters 2007). Because of potential side effects or contraindicative comorbidities, the use of inhaled steroid therapy (IST) is common in practice (Clercx & Peeters 2007, Casamian-Sorrosal et al. 2020). As idiopathic EBP is a diagnosis by exclusion, specific investigation of cardio-pulmonary parasites is needed once eosinophilic airway inflammation is demonstrated. Angiostrongylus vasorum is one of the major parasites that are able to cause an eosinophilic airway inflammation. It is important to discriminate between EBP and angiostrongylosis, especially since long-term management and prognosis differ. Over the last 10 years, several studies high-lightened the presence of A. vasorum in all countries of western Europe including neighbouring countries of Belgium (Bourque et al. 2008, Yamakawa et al. 2009, Taubert et al. 2009, Barutzki & Schaper 2009, Van Doorn et al. 2009, Helm et al. 2010, Gredal et al. 2011, Conboy 2011, Gallagher et al. 2012, Traversa et al. 2013). The aims of Study 1 and Study 2 were to investigate a posteriori the possibility of previously undiagnosed angiostrongylosis among a series ...