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Mus E, Viani A, Domenis L, Maradei F, Valastro A, Marucci G, Giacomazzi CG, Magnani SCM, Imparato R, Cometto A, Casulli A, Orusa R, Ventre L. First Case of Human Ocular Dirofilariasis in the Aosta Valley Region: Clinical Management and Morphological-Molecular Confirmation. Pathogens 2025; 14:423. [PMID: 40430747 PMCID: PMC12114617 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens14050423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2025] [Revised: 04/24/2025] [Accepted: 04/24/2025] [Indexed: 05/29/2025] Open
Abstract
Purpose: Dirofilariasis is a zoonotic infectious disease caused by a species belonging to the Dirofilaria genus. Human dirofilariasis cases have increased in Europe in the last few decades. Dogs and wild canids represent the definitive hosts and principal reservoirs of Dirofilaria repens, while mosquito species are biological vectors. Humans act as accidental hosts, and clinical manifestations depend on the location of the worm in the organs or tissues. We described the first case of ocular dirofilariasis in the Aosta Valley region (Italy). Case description: a 62-year-old Italian woman complained of recurrent ocular redness, pain and discomfort, accompanied by itching and foreign body sensation in the right eye. The slit lamp biomicroscopic examination revealed conjunctival congestion on the temporal region of bulbar conjunctiva, and a long whitish vermiform mobile mass was detected under the conjunctiva. The anterior chamber showed no flare or cells in either eye, and the dilated fundus examination was normal. The worm was immediately surgically removed to prevent further migration, and was diagnosed morphologically and molecularly as D. repens. Following surgical removal, the symptoms resolved completely and rapidly, with no recurrence of ocular symptoms recorded during 12-month follow-up visits. Conclusions: Ocular dirofilariasis can lead to misdiagnosis due to its rare ocular manifestations, and it is considered an emergent zoonosis in European countries. Accurate diagnosis and control of ocular dirofilariasis by D. repens require a multidisciplinary approach under the One Health framework to effectively address this emergent zoonosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Mus
- Department of Ophthalmology, Beauregard Hospital, Azienda USL della Valle d’Aosta, Via L. Vaccari 5, 11100 Aosta, Italy; (L.V.)
| | - Annalisa Viani
- S.C. Animal Health, Azienda USL della Valle d’Aosta, Località Amerique 7/l, 11020 Quart, Italy;
| | - Lorenzo Domenis
- Experimental Zooprofilactic Institute of Piedmont, Liguria, and Aosta Valley National Reference Centre for Wildlife Diseases (CeRMAS), Loc. Amerique 7/G, 11020 Quart, Italy (R.O.)
| | - Fabio Maradei
- Department of Ophthalmology, Beauregard Hospital, Azienda USL della Valle d’Aosta, Via L. Vaccari 5, 11100 Aosta, Italy; (L.V.)
| | - Antonio Valastro
- Department of Ophthalmology, Beauregard Hospital, Azienda USL della Valle d’Aosta, Via L. Vaccari 5, 11100 Aosta, Italy; (L.V.)
| | - Gianluca Marucci
- European Union Reference Laboratory for Parasites (EURL-P), Unit of Foodborne and Neglected Parasitic Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Roberto Imparato
- Department of Ophthalmology, Beauregard Hospital, Azienda USL della Valle d’Aosta, Via L. Vaccari 5, 11100 Aosta, Italy; (L.V.)
| | - Annie Cometto
- Department of Ophthalmology, Beauregard Hospital, Azienda USL della Valle d’Aosta, Via L. Vaccari 5, 11100 Aosta, Italy; (L.V.)
| | - Adriano Casulli
- European Union Reference Laboratory for Parasites (EURL-P), Unit of Foodborne and Neglected Parasitic Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Riccardo Orusa
- Experimental Zooprofilactic Institute of Piedmont, Liguria, and Aosta Valley National Reference Centre for Wildlife Diseases (CeRMAS), Loc. Amerique 7/G, 11020 Quart, Italy (R.O.)
| | - Luca Ventre
- Department of Ophthalmology, Beauregard Hospital, Azienda USL della Valle d’Aosta, Via L. Vaccari 5, 11100 Aosta, Italy; (L.V.)
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Human Pulmonary Dirofilariasis Due to Dirofilaria immitis: The First Italian Case Confirmed by Polymerase Chain Reaction Analysis, with a Systematic Literature Review. Life (Basel) 2022; 12:life12101584. [PMID: 36295019 PMCID: PMC9605330 DOI: 10.3390/life12101584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Dirofilariasis is a zoonosis caused by nematodes of the genus Dirofilaria.Dirofilaria immitis is cosmopolitan as regards its distribution in animals, being responsible for human pulmonary dirofilariasis in the New World. However, human infections by Dirofilaria immitis are exceptional in Europe, and the previously reported Italian cases of pulmonary dirofilariasis were due to Dirofilaria repens. We performed a systematic literature review of the Italian cases of human dirofilariasis due to Dirofilariaimmitis according to the PRISMA guidelines. We also report the first autochthonous case of human pulmonary dirofilariasis due to Dirofilariaimmitis, confirmed by polymerase chain reaction analysis. The patient was a 60-year-old man who lived in the Po river valley and had never traveled abroad; on histological examination, the 2-cm nodule found in his right upper lung was an infarct due to a parasitic thrombotic lesion. Only one other autochthonous (but conjunctival) case due to Dirofilariaimmitis (molecularly confirmed) was previously found in the same geographic area. Climatic changes, the increasing movements of animal reservoirs and vectors, and new competent carriers have expanded the geographic distribution of the Dirofilaria species, increasing the risk of human infections. Our report demonstrates that at least some pulmonary Italian cases of human dirofilariasis are due to Dirofilaria immitis, as in the New World.
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