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Fuehrer HP, Morelli S, Unterköfler MS, Bajer A, Bakran-Lebl K, Dwużnik-Szarek D, Farkas R, Grandi G, Heddergott M, Jokelainen P, Knific T, Leschnik M, Miterpáková M, Modrý D, Petersen HH, Skírnisson K, Vergles Rataj A, Schnyder M, Strube C. Dirofilaria spp. and Angiostrongylus vasorum: Current Risk of Spreading in Central and Northern Europe. Pathogens 2021; 10:1268. [PMID: 34684217 PMCID: PMC8537668 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10101268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In the past few decades, the relevance of Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens, causing cardiopulmonary and subcutaneous dirofilariosis in dogs and cats, and of Angiostrongylus vasorum, causing canine angiostrongylosis, has steadily increased in Central and Northern Europe. In this review, a summary of published articles and additional reports dealing with imported or autochthonous cases of these parasites is provided for Central (Austria, Czechia, Germany, Hungary, Luxemburg, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Switzerland) and Northern (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) Europe. Research efforts focusing on Dirofilaria spp. and A. vasorum have varied by country, and cross-border studies are few. The housing conditions of dogs, pet movements, the spread of competent vectors, and climate change are important factors in the spread of these nematodes. Dogs kept outside overnight are a major factor for the establishment of Dirofilaria spp. However, the establishment of invasive, diurnal, synanthropic, competent mosquito vectors such as Aedes albopictus may also influence the establishment of Dirofilaria spp. The drivers of the spread of A. vasorum remain not fully understood, but it seems to be influenced by habitats shared with wild canids, dog relocation, and possibly climatic changes; its pattern of spreading appears to be similar in different countries. Both Dirofilaria spp. and A. vasorum merit further monitoring and research focus in Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans-Peter Fuehrer
- Department of Pathobiology, Institute of Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria; (M.S.U.); (K.B.-L.)
| | - Simone Morelli
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, 64100 Teramo, Italy;
| | - Maria Sophia Unterköfler
- Department of Pathobiology, Institute of Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria; (M.S.U.); (K.B.-L.)
| | - Anna Bajer
- Department of Eco-Epidemiology of Parasitic Diseases, Institute of Developmental Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland; (A.B.); (D.D.-S.)
| | - Karin Bakran-Lebl
- Department of Pathobiology, Institute of Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria; (M.S.U.); (K.B.-L.)
| | - Dorota Dwużnik-Szarek
- Department of Eco-Epidemiology of Parasitic Diseases, Institute of Developmental Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland; (A.B.); (D.D.-S.)
| | - Róbert Farkas
- Department of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1078 Budapest, Hungary;
| | - Giulio Grandi
- Section for Parasitology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden;
- Department of Microbiology, National Veterinary Institute (SVA), 756 51 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mike Heddergott
- Department of Zoology, Musée National d’Historire Naturelle, 25, Rue Münster, 2160 Luxembourg, Luxembourg;
| | - Pikka Jokelainen
- Department of Bacteria, Parasites and Fungi, Infectious Disease Preparedness, Statens Serum Institut, Artillerivej 5, DK-2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark;
| | - Tanja Knific
- Institute of Food Safety, Feed and Environment, Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Gerbičeva 60, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia;
| | - Michael Leschnik
- Clinical Unit of Internal Medicine Small Animals, Department/Universitätsklinik für Kleintiere und Pferde, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria;
| | - Martina Miterpáková
- Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 040 01 Košice, Slovakia;
| | - David Modrý
- Biology Center, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, 37005 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic;
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources/CINeZ, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, 16500 Praha-Suchdol, Czech Republic
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, 61137 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Heidi Huus Petersen
- Centre for Diagnostic, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark;
| | - Karl Skírnisson
- Institute for Experimental Pathology at Keldur, University of Iceland, Keldnavegur 3, 112 Reykjavik, Iceland;
| | - Aleksandra Vergles Rataj
- Institute of Microbiology and Parasitology, Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Gerbičeva 60, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia;
| | - Manuela Schnyder
- Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland;
| | - Christina Strube
- Centre for Infection Medicine, Institute for Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30559 Hannover, Germany;
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Capelli G, Genchi C, Baneth G, Bourdeau P, Brianti E, Cardoso L, Danesi P, Fuehrer HP, Giannelli A, Ionică AM, Maia C, Modrý D, Montarsi F, Krücken J, Papadopoulos E, Petrić D, Pfeffer M, Savić S, Otranto D, Poppert S, Silaghi C. Recent advances on Dirofilaria repens in dogs and humans in Europe. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:663. [PMID: 30567586 PMCID: PMC6299983 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-3205-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Dirofilaria repens is a nematode affecting domestic and wild canids, transmitted by several species of mosquitoes. It usually causes a non-pathogenic subcutaneous infection in dogs and is the principal agent of human dirofilariosis in the Old World. In the last decades, D. repens has increased in prevalence in areas where it has already been reported and its distribution range has expanded into new areas of Europe, representing a paradigmatic example of an emergent pathogen. Despite its emergence and zoonotic impact, D. repens has received less attention by scientists compared to Dirofilaria immitis. In this review we report the recent advances of D. repens infection in dogs and humans, and transmission by vectors, and discuss possible factors that influence the spread and increase of this zoonotic parasite in Europe. There is evidence that D. repens has spread faster than D. immitis from the endemic areas of southern Europe to northern Europe. Climate change affecting mosquito vectors and the facilitation of pet travel seem to have contributed to this expansion; however, in the authors' opinion, the major factor is likely the rate of undiagnosed dogs continuing to perpetuate the life-cycle of D. repens. Many infected dogs remain undetected due to the subclinical nature of the disease, the lack of rapid and reliable diagnostic tools and the poor knowledge and still low awareness of D. repens in non-endemic areas. Improved diagnostic tools are warranted to bring D. repens diagnosis to the state of D. immitis diagnosis, as well as improved screening of imported dogs and promotion of preventative measures among veterinarians and dog owners. For vector-borne diseases involving pets, veterinarians play a significant role in prevention and should be more aware of their responsibility in reducing the impact of the zoonotic agents. In addition, they should enhance multisectorial collaboration with medical entomologists and the public health experts, under the concept and the actions of One Health-One Medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gioia Capelli
- Laboratory of Parasitology, National reference centre/OIE collaborating centre for diseases at the animal-human interface, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, Italy
| | - Claudio Genchi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Gad Baneth
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Patrick Bourdeau
- Veterinary School of Nantes ONIRIS, University of Nantes, LUNAM, Nantes, France
| | - Emanuele Brianti
- Department of Veterinary Science, Università degli Studi di Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Luís Cardoso
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Patrizia Danesi
- Laboratory of Parasitology, National reference centre/OIE collaborating centre for diseases at the animal-human interface, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, Italy
| | - Hans-Peter Fuehrer
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Alessio Giannelli
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, Italy
| | - Angela Monica Ionică
- Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Carla Maia
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL), Lisboa, Portugal
| | - David Modrý
- Department of Pathology and Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Fabrizio Montarsi
- Laboratory of Parasitology, National reference centre/OIE collaborating centre for diseases at the animal-human interface, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, Italy
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Elias Papadopoulos
- Laboratory of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Dušan Petrić
- Laboratory for medical and veterinary entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Martin Pfeffer
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, Veterinary Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sara Savić
- Scientific Veterinary Institute “Novi Sad”, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Domenico Otranto
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, Italy
| | - Sven Poppert
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
- University Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Cornelia Silaghi
- National Centre of Vector Entomology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute of Infectology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Isle of Riems, Greifswald, Germany
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Silaghi C, Beck R, Capelli G, Montarsi F, Mathis A. Development of Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens in Aedes japonicus and Aedes geniculatus. Parasit Vectors 2017; 10:94. [PMID: 28219407 PMCID: PMC5319011 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2015-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2016] [Accepted: 02/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The mosquito-borne filarial nematodes Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens primarily affect dogs but also cats, causing heartworm disease or subcutaneous dirofilariosis, respectively, and both may also cause zoonotic diseases in humans. Several mosquito species have been reported as competent vectors for these nematodes, but no data are available for the invasive mosquito species Aedes japonicus (Theobald, 1901). The objective of this study was to describe the development of both D. immitis and D. repens under standardised experimental laboratory conditions in mosquitoes. Methods For this purpose, both a laboratory strain and field-collected individuals of the invasive mosquito species Ae. japonicus and, for comparative purposes, a laboratory strain of Aedes geniculatus, a rare indigenous species sharing habitats with Ae. japonicus, and of the tropical species Aedes aegypti were used. Anticoagulated microfilariaemic blood was fed at a density of 3000 mf/ml to mosquitoes with a hemotek system. Blood-fed mosquitoes were incubated at 27 °C and 85% relative humidity, and specimens were dissected under the microscope at pre-set time points to observe developmental stages of both Dirofilaria species. Additionally, real-time PCRs were carried out in some microscopically negative samples to determine the infection rates. Results In field-collected Ae. japonicus infectious L3 larvae of both D. immitis and D. repens developed, rendering this mosquito species an efficient vector for both filarial species. Additionally, Ae. geniculatus was shown to be an equally efficient vector for both filarial species. Aedes japonicus mosquitoes from a laboratory colony were refractory to D. immitis but susceptible to D. repens, whereas Ae. aegypti was refractory to both filarial species. Conclusions To our knowledge, Aedes japonicus was for the first time shown to be an efficient vector for both D. immitis and D. repens, indicating that this invasive and locally highly abundant species may contribute to a transmission of filarial worms. The data emphasize the necessity to perform vector competence studies with local mosquito populations as basis for risk assessments. We further demonstrated that detection of filarial DNA in a mosquito species alone does not allow to draw reliable conclusions with regard to its vector competence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelia Silaghi
- National Centre for Vector Entomology, Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Relja Beck
- Department for Bacteriology and Parasitology, Croatian Veterinary Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Gioia Capelli
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Montarsi
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, Italy
| | - Alexander Mathis
- National Centre for Vector Entomology, Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Otranto D, Eberhard ML. Zoonotic helminths affecting the human eye. Parasit Vectors 2011; 4:41. [PMID: 21429191 PMCID: PMC3071329 DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-4-41] [Citation(s) in RCA: 134] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2011] [Accepted: 03/23/2011] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Nowaday, zoonoses are an important cause of human parasitic diseases worldwide and a major threat to the socio-economic development, mainly in developing countries. Importantly, zoonotic helminths that affect human eyes (HIE) may cause blindness with severe socio-economic consequences to human communities. These infections include nematodes, cestodes and trematodes, which may be transmitted by vectors (dirofilariasis, onchocerciasis, thelaziasis), food consumption (sparganosis, trichinellosis) and those acquired indirectly from the environment (ascariasis, echinococcosis, fascioliasis). Adult and/or larval stages of HIE may localize into human ocular tissues externally (i.e., lachrymal glands, eyelids, conjunctival sacs) or into the ocular globe (i.e., intravitreous retina, anterior and or posterior chamber) causing symptoms due to the parasitic localization in the eyes or to the immune reaction they elicit in the host. Unfortunately, data on HIE are scant and mostly limited to case reports from different countries. The biology and epidemiology of the most frequently reported HIE are discussed as well as clinical description of the diseases, diagnostic considerations and video clips on their presentation and surgical treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domenico Otranto
- Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica e Zootecnia, Università degli Studi di Bari, Valenzano, BA, Italy
| | - Mark L Eberhard
- Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30341-3724, USA
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