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Asghari A, Adhami G, Shariatzadeh SA, Kordi B, Anvari D, Shams M, Majidiani H, Darvishi MM. Confirmed cases of human Onchocerca lupi infection: a systematic review of an emerging threat. Parasitol Res 2021; 120:3633-3644. [PMID: 34519871 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-021-07309-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Diverse Onchocerca species are present mostly parasitizing ungulates, with the exception of Onchocerca volvulus (O. volvulus) in humans and O. lupi in canids and cats. The human cases due to the O. lupi have been more highlighted during last years. So, the present review was performed to determine the detailed characteristics of confirmed human O. lupi case reports documented worldwide. Hence, a systematic search was done using English international databases (Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, ProQuest, and Google Scholar). Totally, 14 confirmed human cases were documented during the last decade, mostly from the USA and Turkey with 7 and 3 cases, respectively. Most cases (7 individuals) were male with the age range of 22-month-old to 54-year-old. The parasite was frequently isolated from the right eye (5 cases), followed by the left eye (4 cases), cervical spinal canal (3 cases), scalp, and right forearm (one case each). Molecular identification of the isolated agent was the preferred way of diagnosis in most cases (9 records). In conclusion, human O. lupi cases have been more highlighted in recent years, whether due to the improved diagnostics and/or host-switching phenomenon, and both veterinarians and healthcare authorities should be alerted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Asghari
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Ghazaaleh Adhami
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Islamic Azad University of Sanandaj, Sanandaj, Iran
| | - Seyyed Ali Shariatzadeh
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Communicable Diseases Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Bahareh Kordi
- Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Davood Anvari
- Department of Parasitology, Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,School of Medicine, Iranshahr University of Medical Sciences, Iranshahr, Iran
| | - Morteza Shams
- Zoonotic Diseases Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran. .,Student Research Committee, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran.
| | - Hamidreza Majidiani
- Zoonotic Diseases Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran.
| | - Mohammad Mahdi Darvishi
- Pathobiology Department, Shahmirzad School of Veterinary Medicine, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran
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Rojas A, Morales-Calvo F, Salant H, Otranto D, Baneth G. Zoonotic Ocular Onchocercosis by Onchocerca lupi. Yale J Biol Med 2021; 94:331-341. [PMID: 34211352 PMCID: PMC8223538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
The parasitic filarioid Onchocerca lupi causes ocular disease characterized by conjunctivitis and nodular lesions. This nematode was first described in 1967 in a wolf from Georgia, and since then cases of infection from dogs and cats with ocular onchocercosis and sporadically from humans also with subcutaneous and cervical lesions caused by O. lupi have been reported from the Middle East, Europe, and North America. Due to its zoonotic potential, this parasitic infection has gained attention in the past 20 years. Phylogenetic studies have highlighted the recent divergence of O. lupi from other Onchocerca spp. and the importance of domestication in the evolutionary history of this worm. Moreover, the finding of an O. lupi genotype associated with subclinical and mild infection in the Iberian Peninsula, raises important questions about the pathogenicity of this presently enigmatic parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Rojas
- Laboratory of Helminthology, Centro de Investigación en
Enfermedades Tropicales, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica,To whom all correspondence should be addressed:
Alicia Rojas, Laboratorio de Helmintología, Facultad de Microbiología,
Universidad de Costa Rica, Sede Rodrigo Facio, Montes de Oca, San José Costa
Rica, 11501-2060; Tel: +(506)2511-8645;
; ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2007-7198
| | - Fernando Morales-Calvo
- Laboratory of Helminthology, Centro de Investigación en
Enfermedades Tropicales, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Harold Salant
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew
University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Domenico Otranto
- Parasitology Unit, Department of Veterinary Medicine,
University of Bari, Valenzano, Italy,Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Bu-Ali Sina University,
Hamedan, Iran
| | - Gad Baneth
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew
University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
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Cambra-Pellejà M, Gandasegui J, Balaña-Fouce R, Muñoz J, Martínez-Valladares M. Zoonotic Implications of Onchocerca Species on Human Health. Pathogens 2020; 9:E761. [PMID: 32957647 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9090761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The genus Onchocerca includes several species associated with ungulates as hosts, although some have been identified in canids, felids, and humans. Onchocerca species have a wide geographical distribution, and the disease they produce, onchocerciasis, is generally seen in adult individuals because of its large prepatency period. In recent years, Onchocerca species infecting animals have been found as subcutaneous nodules or invading the ocular tissues of humans; the species involved are O. lupi, O. dewittei japonica, O. jakutensis, O. gutturosa, and O. cervicalis. These findings generally involve immature adult female worms, with no evidence of being fertile. However, a few cases with fertile O. lupi, O. dewittei japonica, and O. jakutensis worms have been identified recently in humans. These are relevant because they indicate that the parasite’s life cycle was completed in the new host—humans. In this work, we discuss the establishment of zoonotic Onchocerca infections in humans, and the possibility of these infections to produce symptoms similar to human onchocerciasis, such as dermatitis, ocular damage, and epilepsy. Zoonotic onchocerciasis is thought to be an emerging human parasitic disease, with the need to take measures such as One Health Strategies, in order to identify and control new cases in humans.
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Dantas-Torres F, Otranto D. Overview on Dirofilaria immitis in the Americas, with notes on other filarial worms infecting dogs. Vet Parasitol 2020; 282:109113. [PMID: 32464570 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2020.109113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Revised: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Canine dirofilariosis in the Americas is primarily caused by Dirofilaria immitis, a mosquito-borne filarial worm infecting dogs, which may also infect and cause disease in other mammalian hosts, including humans. Morphological and molecular evidence gathered in the past decades suggest that other Dirofilaria spp. may infect dogs in the American continent, though the actual taxonomic identity of them still needs to be elucidated. In addition, filarial worms belonging to distinct genera have also been reported in dogs in this part of the world, including Acanthocheilonema reconditum, Cercopithifilaria bainae, and Onchocerca lupi. Among these, O. lupi is a species of major clinical significance, which has been reported not only in dogs, but also in cats and humans in North America. The present article provides a current overview on canine dirofilariosis in the Americas, with notes on other filarial worms infecting dogs. It also provides some insights into outstanding research questions that should be responded to fill some of the several knowledge gaps related to this group of parasites in this continent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipe Dantas-Torres
- Department of Immunology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.
| | - Domenico Otranto
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, Italy; Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran
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Wesołowska M, Zając-Pytrus H, Masny A, Pytrus W, Knysz B, Golab E, Sałamatin R. Onchocerca jakutensis ocular infection in Poland: a new vector-borne human health risk? Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:61. [PMID: 32051010 PMCID: PMC7017525 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-3925-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Accepted: 02/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Zoonotic onchocerciasis is a vector-borne disease, which involves many animal species, including large ungulates, boars, dogs, and sporadically, humans. So far, 39 cases of zoonotic onchocerciasis have been reported worldwide, 30 of which have been found in the last 20 years. Onchocerca nematodes are transmitted to humans by blood-sucking vectors during a blood meal. The following species have been responsible for zoonotic infections: Onchocerca cervicalis, O. dewittei japonica, O. gutturosa, O. jakutensis and O. lupi. In humans, the worms have usually been found in the subcutaneous tissues where they form subcutaneous nodules, induce inflammation of musculature, or penetrate the eye. Thirteen ocular zoonotic onchocerciasis cases have been reported so far. In the eye, nematodes were localized in the subconjunctival space, anterior chamber and within the vitreous body. METHODS In a 39-year-old male patient, a writhing worm in the vitreous body of the left eye was detected and surgically removed. Laboratory identification of the worm was based on macroscopic and molecular identification, based on sequencing of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene (cox1). Phylogenetic analysis of the first 250 nucleotide sequences showing the highest levels of similarity with the present isolate in a BLAST analysis was performed. RESULTS Here, we report the first case worldwide of human ocular infection with O. jakutensis, a natural parasite of red deer. By exploiting a PCR assay, we detected the sequence almost identical to O. jakutensis (GenBank: KT001213.1; positions 1-650) with a single mismatch G/A at position 622. The sequence reported in this paper was deposited in the GenBank database under the accession number MK491767. CONCLUSIONS Our case together with the previous case reports indicate that zoonotic Onchocerca worms exhibit no tissue specificity and an eye infection has been described in over one third of human zoonotic onchocerciasis cases. In terms of the growing number of cases of zoonotic onchocerciasis in Europe, the USA and Japan, attention should be paid to the diagnosis of subcutaneous nodules and eye infestations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Wesołowska
- Department of Biology and Medical Parasitology, Wrocław Medical University, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Hanna Zając-Pytrus
- Department and Clinic of Ophthalmology, Wrocław Medical University, Wrocław, Poland
- Ophthalmology Clinical Centre SPEKTRUM, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Aleksander Masny
- Department of Virology, National Institute of Public Health – National Institute of Hygiene, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Wiktoria Pytrus
- Department and Clinic of Ophthalmology, Wrocław Medical University, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Brygida Knysz
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Liver Diseases and Acquired Immune Deficiencies, Wrocław Medical University, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Elzbieta Golab
- Department of Parasitology and Vector-Borne Diseases, National Institute of Public Health – National Institute of Hygiene, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Rusłan Sałamatin
- Department of Parasitology and Vector-Borne Diseases, National Institute of Public Health – National Institute of Hygiene, Warsaw, Poland
- Department of General Biology and Parasitology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
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Barbušinová E, Iglódyová A, Čurlík J, Lazar P, Mravcová K, Štrkolcová G, Mucha R, Karolová R. First molecular detection of Onchocerca flexuosa (Wedl, 1856) in red deer in Slovakia. Parasitol Res 2020; 119:985-90. [PMID: 31953565 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06607-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The present paper deals with the post-mortem diagnostics of onchocerciasis and the molecular detection of causative agents of this disease in wild ruminant ungulates (Cervus elaphus, Dama dama and Capreolus capreolus). The animals were shot in hunting seasons 2017 and 2018, in two regions of the Eastern Slovakia. The total number of examined skins was fifty-eight. The presence of subcutaneous nodules was confirmed in 27.59% (95% CI 16-39) of animals. All positive skins belonged to red deer individuals (47.06%; 95% CI 30-64). The nodules were present mainly in the back area and in the lumbar area, and their sizes ranged from 2.9 to 24.1 mm, with the average count of 10 nodules per animal. Thirteen worms, isolated from the nodules collected from 13 animals, were subjected to molecular identification. Applying the standard PCR method, targeting the mitochondrial 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA and NADH-dehydrogenase gene, and subsequent sequencing, all the worms were identified as Onchocerca flexuosa Wedl, 1856. The sequences were submitted to GenBank under specific accession numbers. Two samples were identified as Onchocerca flexuosa haplotype B, in which T176A and A177T were present. Despite the presence of mutations in the 12S rRNA of the Onchocerca flexuosa, the standardized PCR remains to be a very specific and sensitive method that uses this fragment as a selectable marker for the detection of the studied parasite.
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McBurney-Lin S, Khorram D, Gee S, Hoberg EP, Klassen-Fischer MK, Neafie RC. A new worm infiltrating the human cornea: A report of three cases. Am J Ophthalmol Case Rep 2018; 9:124-130. [PMID: 29577104 PMCID: PMC5861503 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajoc.2018.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2017] [Revised: 01/02/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose To characterize a new species of parasitic nematode that triggers uveitis. Observations Three previously healthy, relatively young people each contracted a corneal stromal nematode that, upon surgical removal and examination, did not match any known nematodes. Clinical ocular findings included corneal opacification, visible corneal worms, conjunctival injection, and uveitis. Conclusions and Importance The three cases presented here represent a previously undescribed parasitic infection of the cornea by an unidentified nematode. These findings may represent a previously unrecognized zoonotic infection from wildlife sources and potentially a newly documented nematode requiring description. Future clinical findings regarding this newly described nematode are needed to further develop our understanding of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan McBurney-Lin
- Duke University School of Medicine, 8 Duke University Medical Center Greenspace, Durham, NC 27703, USA
| | - David Khorram
- Marianas Eye Institute, Beach Road Garapan, Saipan 96950, Northern Mariana Islands
| | - Stephen Gee
- Stephen Gee, M.D. Inc, 1210 Ward Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96814, USA
| | - Eric P Hoberg
- USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Parasitic Disease Laboratory, Beltsville Research Center, BARC East 1180, 10300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD 20715, USA
| | | | - Ronald C Neafie
- Joint Pathology Center, 606 Stephen Sitter Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
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Campbell B, Cortes H, Annoscia G, Giannelli A, Parisi A, Latrofa MS, Dantas-Torres F, Cardoso L, Otranto D. Paramyosin of canine Onchocerca lupi: usefulness for the diagnosis of a neglected zoonotic disease. Parasit Vectors 2016; 9:493. [PMID: 27604904 PMCID: PMC5013582 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1783-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2016] [Accepted: 08/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Of increasing importance to the medical and veterinary communities is the zoonotic filarioid nematode Onchocerca lupi. Onchocercosis, thus far found in wolves, dogs, cats and humans, is diagnosed via skin snips to detect microfilariae and surgical removal of adults from the eye of the host. These methods are time-consuming, laborious and invasive, highlighting the need for new tools for the diagnosis of O. lupi in susceptible hosts. Symptoms related to the presence of the adults in the eye can range from none apparent to severe, including blindness. No reliable chemotherapeutic protocols are available, as yet, to eliminate the infection. Paramyosin, an invertebrate-specific protein, has been well-studied as an allergen, diagnostic marker and vaccine candidate. The aim of this study, therefore, was to isolate and characterise paramyosin from O. lupi to assess its suitability for the development of a serological diagnostic assay. METHODS The adult and microfilarial stages of O. lupi were isolated from the eyes and skin of a 3-year-old male dog. Total RNA was extracted and reverse transcribed into single stranded cDNA. Reverse-transcription PCR was used to isolate a full-length paramyosin cDNA from adult worms and to investigate the temporal expression patterns of this gene. All amplicons were sequenced using dideoxy chain termination sequencing. Bioinformatics was used to predict the amino acid sequence of the gene, to compare the DNA and protein sequences with those available in public databases and to investigate the phylogenetic relationship of all molecules. Antibody binding sites were predicted using bioinformatics and mapped along with published antigenic epitopes against the O. lupi paramyosin protein. The native protein, and three smaller recombinantly expressed peptides, were subjected to western blot using serum from dogs both positive and negative for O. lupi. RESULTS Paramyosin of O. lupi was herein molecularly characterized, encoded by a transcript of 2,643 bp and producing a protein of 881 amino acids (101.24 kDa). The paramyosin transcript was detected, by reverse transcription PCR, in adults and microfilariae, but not in eggs. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that this molecule clusters with paramyosins from other filarioids to the exclusion of those from other taxa. A total of 621 unique antibody binding epitopes were predicted for this protein and another 28 were conserved in other organisms. This information was used to design three peptides, for recombinant expression, to identify the antibody binding epitope(s) and reduce potential cross-reactivity with serum from dogs infected with other filarioid nematodes. Native paramyosin, purified from microfilariae and adults, was detected by antibodies present in serum from dogs with known O. lupi infections. CONCLUSIONS Data provided herein may assist in the development of a serological diagnostic test, based on antibodies to O. lupi paramyosin, for the diagnosis of this infection, in order to gain more information on the real distribution of this little known filarioid of zoonotic concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bronwyn Campbell
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Universitá degli Studi di Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Helder Cortes
- Victor Caeiro Laboratory of Parasitology, Instituto de Ciências Agrárias e Ambientais Mediterrânicas, Universidade de Évora, Évora, Portugal
| | - Giada Annoscia
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Universitá degli Studi di Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Alessio Giannelli
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Universitá degli Studi di Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Antonio Parisi
- IZS Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Puglia e Basilicata, Putignano, Italy
| | | | - Filipe Dantas-Torres
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Universitá degli Studi di Bari, Bari, Italy
- Departamento de Imunologia, Centro de Pesquisas Aggeu Magalhães (Fiocruz-PE), Recife, Brazil
| | - Luís Cardoso
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Domenico Otranto
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Universitá degli Studi di Bari, Bari, Italy
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Otranto D. Diagnostic challenges and the unwritten stories of dog and cat parasites. Vet Parasitol 2015; 212:54-61. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2015.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2015] [Revised: 05/26/2015] [Accepted: 06/04/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Grácio AJS, Richter J, Komnenou AT, Grácio MA. Onchocerciasis caused by Onchocerca lupi: an emerging zoonotic infection. Systematic review. Parasitol Res 2015; 114:2401-13. [PMID: 25990062 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-015-4535-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2015] [Accepted: 05/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Globalization has increased circulation of people, their food, livestock and pets in the world, and changes in the environment, climate and human behaviour have led to the rapid expansion of emerging infections throughout the world. One of the reasons of a new pathogen affecting humans is the passage from an animal to a human being. Onchocerca (O.) lupi, a filarial worm first described in a wolf in 1967, is an emerging pathogen which has been incriminated as the etiological agent for 205 canine, 2 feline and 18 human infections in Europe, Tunisia, Turkey, Iran and the USA. Most frequent findings in animals and humans are monolateral or asymmetrical variably painful subconjunctival swellings and nodules containing immature or mature worms affecting the eye and/or adjacent tissues accompanied by conjunctival hyperemia. Occasionally, subcutaneous nodules and masses affecting the spinal cord have been observed in humans. Diagnosis of O. lupi is achieved by microscopy of excised adult female worms which exhibit a particular cuticular structure and molecular analysis. Treatment consists in worm removal accompanied by antihelminthic, antibiotic and anti-inflammatory therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- António J Santos Grácio
- Medical Parasitology Unit/Medical Entomology Group, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
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Komnenou AT, Thomas ALN, Papadopoulos E, Koutinas AF. Intraocular localization of Onchocerca lupi adult worm in a dog with anterior uveitis: A case report. Vet Ophthalmol 2015; 19:245-249. [PMID: 25929486 DOI: 10.1111/vop.12277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Canine ocular onchocercosis may represent an important ocular disease with zoonotic potential and widespread geographical distribution. An uncommon localization of Onchocerca lupi adult worm in the anterior chamber of the eye is described for the first time. ANIMAL STUDIED A 4-year-old, intact, male, mixed-breed dog was admitted with profuse lacrimation and severe squinting. On the right eye, there were mucopurulent discharge, chemosis, and all typical signs of anterior uveitis which were attributed to the presence of a moving filarial worm within the anterior chamber. PROCEDURE Removal of the parasite from the anterior chamber by a limbal incision revealed a mature adult male, 7.65-cm-long O. lupi worm. Periocular skin scrapings for the corresponding microfilariae were negative. Postoperatively, apart from systemic prednisolone and doxycycline hyclate and a topical antibiotic/steroid solution, parenteral melarsomine, followed by ivermectin, was given until the complete disappearance of the ocular lesions. CONCLUSIONS Intraocular onchocercosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of canine anterior uveitis in endemic areas. This case highlights the atypical localization of O. lupi in the canine eye emphasizing on the possibility for a complete cure after the surgical removal of the parasite and the filaricidal medication subsequently applied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Th Komnenou
- Ophthalmology Unit, Companion Animal Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), 11, St. Voutira st., 54627, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Angelos L N Thomas
- Ophthalmology Unit, Companion Animal Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), 11, St. Voutira st., 54627, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Elias Papadopoulos
- Laboratory of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University Campus, 54124, Thessaloniki, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Alex F Koutinas
- Quality Vet Practice, 94, 54th Syntagmatos st., 38333, Volos, Greece
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12
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Franchini D, Giannelli A, Di Paola G, Cortes H, Cardoso L, Lia RP, Campbell BE, Dantas-Torres F, Lenoci D, Assad EA, Ricciardi M, Valastro C, Cavaliere L, Di Bello A, Otranto D. Image diagnosis of zoonotic onchocercosis by Onchocerca lupi. Vet Parasitol 2014; 203:91-5. [PMID: 24685021 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2014.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2013] [Revised: 01/26/2014] [Accepted: 03/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Onchocerca lupi, a zoonotic nematode infecting the eyes of carnivores, has been increasingly reported in dogs from Europe and the USA. In order to improve the current status of knowledge on this neglected filarioid, diagnostic imaging tools (i.e., ultrasound scan, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging) are herein used to diagnose canine onchocercosis in two dogs, which scored positive for O. lupi microfilariae at the skin snip test and to assess the anatomical location of the nematode within the ocular apparatus. Results indicate that ultrasound tools are useful to address the diagnosis of O. lupi in dogs and to evaluate the localization of nodules or cysts containing the adult nematode.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delia Franchini
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, University of Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy
| | - Alessio Giannelli
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, University of Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Di Paola
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, University of Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy
| | - Helder Cortes
- Instituto de Ciências Agrárias e Ambientais Mediterrânicas, Laboratório de Parasitologia Victor Caeiro, University of Évora, Évora, Portugal
| | - Luís Cardoso
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal; Parasite Disease Group, Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Oporto, Portugal
| | - Riccardo Paolo Lia
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, University of Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy
| | | | - Filipe Dantas-Torres
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, University of Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy; Aggeu Magalhães Research Institute, Recife, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Carmela Valastro
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, University of Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy
| | - Leonardo Cavaliere
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, University of Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy
| | - Antonio Di Bello
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, University of Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy
| | - Domenico Otranto
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, University of Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy.
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Lai JH, Walsh NM, Pritt BS, Sloan L, Gibson LE, Desormeau L, Haldane DJ. Cutaneous manifestations of a zoonotic Onchocerca species in an adult male, acquired in Nova Scotia, Canada. J Clin Microbiol 2014; 52:1768-70. [PMID: 24501037 DOI: 10.1128/JCM.03358-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A 65-year-old male with known hypertension and hypercholesterolemia sought medical attention because of a 3-month history of skin swelling on his upper back. Histopathology and molecular techniques were employed and identified an organism in the Onchocerca genus. This represents a very uncommon example of cutaneous infection by a zoonotic Onchocerca species.
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Ilhan HD, Yaman A, Morishima Y, Sugiyama H, Muto M, Yamasaki H, Hasegawa H, Lebe B, Bajin MS. Onchocerca lupi infection in Turkey: a unique case of a rare human parasite. Acta Parasitol 2013; 58:384-8. [PMID: 23990437 DOI: 10.2478/s11686-013-0152-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/10/2013] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Onchocerpa lupi was first isolated from a wolf in Russia. Since then, canine ocular onchocercosis has been increasingly reported, particularly in Europe and the United States. It is thought that blackflies and midges are the vectors of transmission, and it is possible that these vectors could transmit the parasite to humans. The first human case of O. lupi in Turkey was reported in 2011. In this report we present the third human case of O. lupi infection in Turkey. Our patient was a 28-year-old male who displayed a painless, immobile mass under the conjunctiva. The mass measured 10 × 12 mm in size. Pathological examination of the surgically excised tissue was suggestive of infection by a filarial nematode. Subsequently, the parasite was identified as O. lupi through molecular analysis. All of the previously reported cases of O. lupi in both humans and dogs were more symptomatic than in our patient, Onchocerca infection should not be ruled out during the differential diagnosis of the subconjunctival and orbital cystic mass in instances where there is little to no inflammation. It is important to consider biopsy and carry out molecular analysis to identify the parasite.
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Mowlavi G, Farzbod F, Kheirkhah A, Mobedi I, Bowman D, Naddaf S. Human ocular onchocerciasis caused by Onchocerca lupi (Spirurida, Onchocercidae) in Iran. J Helminthol 2014; 88:250-5. [DOI: 10.1017/s0022149x13000060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
AbstractCases of canine onchocerciasis caused by Onchocerca lupi are increasingly reported from Europe and the western United States of America. The zoonotic role of this parasite had already been suspected in Europe as the clinical signs and histopathology seen in two ocular cases from Albania and the Crimean region were very similar to those of canine ocular onchocerciasis. In the most recent reports of human onchocerciasis, O. lupi has been morphologically and molecularly identified as the causative agent of ocular infestation in two patients from Turkey, and one patient from Tunisia. Here, we report an additional case of nodular lesions involving two, and possibly more, immature worms in a patient from Iran. The parasite was found to belong to the genus Onchocerca based on morphological features and the species was confirmed as O. lupi from a partial sequence analysis of 12S ribosomal DNA.
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Eberhard ML, Ostovar GA, Chundu K, Hobohm D, Feiz-Erfan I, Mathison BA, Bishop HS, Cantey PT. Zoonotic Onchocerca lupi infection in a 22-month-old child in Arizona: first report in the United States and a review of the literature. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2013; 88:601-5. [PMID: 23382171 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.12-0733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
A 22-month-old girl presented with neck pain and stiffness and magnetic resonance imaging showed an extradural mass extending from C2 through the C4 level with moderate to severe compression of the cord. A left unilateral C2-C4 laminectomy was performed revealing an extradural rubbery tumor; a small biopsy was obtained. Examination of stained tissue revealed the presence of a parasitic worm that was identified as a gravid female Onchocerca lupi. A magnetic resonance imaging at 7 weeks follow-up showed a significantly decreased size of the enhancing lesion and the patient's symptoms gradually resolved. This is the first report of zoonotic O. lupi in the United States. The parasite has been reported in dogs and cats in the western United States, and from people in four cases reported from Europe. A great deal more needs to be learned, including full host range and geographic distribution, before we fully understand O. lupi infections in animals and man.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark L Eberhard
- Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.
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Abstract
Studies of blackfly vectors of Onchocerca dewittei japonica Uni, Bain & Takaoka (Spirurida: Onchocercidae), a parasite of wild boar implicated in the aetiology of zoonotic onchocerciasis in Japan, and six other zoonotic Onchocerca species of this country are reviewed. Molecular identification of infective larvae found in wild-caught female blackflies showed that Simulium bidentatum (Shiraki) (Diptera: Simuliidae) is a natural vector of O. dewittei japonica, and also Onchocerca sp. sensu Fukuda et al., another parasite of wild boar. Inoculation experiments demonstrated that Simulium arakawae Matsumura and four other Simulium species are putative vectors. Similarly, S. arakawae, S. bidentatum and Simulium oitanum (Shiraki) are putative vectors of Onchocerca eberhardi Uni & Bain and Onchocerca skrjabini Rukhlyadev, parasites of sika deer. Morphometric studies of infective larvae indicated that Onchocerca lienalis Stiles, a bovine species, is transmitted by S. arakawae, Simulium daisense (Takahasi) and Simulium kyushuense Takaoka, and that Onchocerca sp. sensu Takaoka & Bain, another bovine species, is transmitted by S. arakawae, S. bidentatum, S. daisense and S. oitanum. Prosimulium sp. (Diptera: Simuliidae) and Simulium japonicum Matsumura are suspected vectors of Onchocerca suzukii Yagi, Bain & Shoho and O. skrjabini [Twinnia japonensis Rubtsov (Diptera: Simuliidae) may also transmit the latter], parasites of Japanese serow, following detection of the parasites' DNA genes in wild-caught blackflies.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Takaoka
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
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Abstract
A long, slender filarial nematode was removed from the left anterior chamber of a resident of Oregon after several days of pain and blurred vision. The worm was identified as an Onchocerca, but it could not be further identified. This worm is the third zoonotic Onchocerca removed from the anterior chamber and the second case reported from the United States. Cases of zoonotic onchocerciasis continue to garner attention, and those cases affecting the eye are of particular interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark L Eberhard
- Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.
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Bain O, Otranto D, Diniz DG, dos Santos JN, de Oliveira NP, Frota de Almeida IN, Frota de Almeida RN, Frota de Almeida LN, Dantas-Torres F, de Almeida Sobrinho EF. Human intraocular filariasis caused by Pelecitus sp. nematode, Brazil. Emerg Infect Dis 2011; 17:867-9. [PMID: 21529397 PMCID: PMC3321769 DOI: 10.3201/eid1705.101309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
A male nematode was extracted from iris fibers of a man from the Brazilian Amazon
region. This nematode belonged to the genus Pelecitus but was
distinct from the 16 known species in this genus. Similarities with
Pelecitus spp. from neotropical birds suggested an avian
origin for this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Odile Bain
- Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
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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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Uni S, Boda T, Daisaku K, Ikura Y, Maruyama H, Hasegawa H, Fukuda M, Takaoka H, Bain O. Zoonotic filariasis caused by Onchocerca dewittei japonica in a resident of Hiroshima Prefecture, Honshu, Japan. Parasitol Int 2010; 59:477-80. [DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2010.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2010] [Accepted: 05/21/2010] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Sréter T, Széll Z. Onchocercosis: A newly recognized disease in dogs. Vet Parasitol 2008; 151:1-13. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2007.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2007] [Revised: 08/26/2007] [Accepted: 09/07/2007] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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