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Perles L, Dantas-Torres F, Krücken J, Morchón R, Walochnik J, Otranto D. Zoonotic dirofilariases: one, no one, or more than one parasite. Trends Parasitol 2024; 40:257-270. [PMID: 38228446 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2023.12.007] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Dirofilaria spp. are vector-borne filarial nematodes that affect a variety of animal species, including humans. Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens are the two main zoonotic species, but also other wildlife-associated Dirofilaria species are occasionally reported as causative agents of human dirofilariasis, including Dirofilaria striata, Dirofilaria tenuis, Dirofilaria ursi, Dirofilaria spectans, and Dirofilaria magnilarvata. Since the etiological identity of most of the species mentioned here is arguable, we summarized and critically discussed data concerning infections in humans, focusing on the reliability of Dirofilaria species identification. We advocate the importance of combined morphological and genomic approaches to provide unequivocal evidence for their zoonotic potential and pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Livia Perles
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, Italy
| | | | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Rodrigo Morchón
- Zoonotic Diseases and One Health, Biomedical Research Institute of Salamanca (IBSAL), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Julia Walochnik
- Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology, and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Domenico Otranto
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, Italy; Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
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Pękacz M, Basałaj K, Miterpáková M, Rusiecki Z, Stopka D, Graczyk D, Zawistowska-Deniziak A. An unexpected case of a dog from Poland co-infected with Dirofilaria repens and Dirofilaria Immitis. BMC Vet Res 2024; 20:66. [PMID: 38395823 PMCID: PMC10885393 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-024-03921-3] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dirofilariasis is a vector-borne disease caused by parasitic nematodes of the genus Dirofilaria spp., considered an emerging concern in both veterinary and human medicine. Climate changes and human activities, such as pet travel, contribute to the spread of diseases to new non-endemic regions. Poland is dominated by subcutaneous dirofilariasis caused by D. repens infections. Cardiopulmonary dirofilariasis, also known as a heartworm disease is much more rare with only single autochthonous cases reported so far. Also, imported infections are observed sporadically in dogs traveling to endemic countries. In this study, we report the first case of a dog in Poland, never having traveled abroad, co-infected with Dirofilaria repens and Dirofilaria immitis. CASE PRESENTATION A 14-year-old mixed breed, an intact male dog with fever, lightly pale mucosal membranes, moderate abdominal pain, and a mild cough was presented in a veterinary clinic in Warsaw, Poland. The examination of the blood sample collected for complete morphology and biochemistry revealed the presence of live microfilariae. Presence of the DNA of both microfilariae species was detected using Real-Time PCR with species-specific primers. CONCLUSIONS Since the remaining diagnostic methods like Knott's test, antigen test or echocardiography did not reveal the presence of D. immitis, we discussed the impact of microfilariae periodicity and low worm burden infections on the limited efficiency of these techniques. We strongly recommend using a mixed diagnostic approach for the most sensitive and specific diagnosis since the ideal diagnostic method does not exist, and several factors may contribute to misdiagnosis. Furthermore, we considered factors that contribute to the uncontrolled spread of dirofilariasis such as climate changes, introduction of new species of mosquitoes competent for the transmission of the disease, and wildlife animals as an important reservoir of this parasitosis. Given that Poland shares borders with countries classified as endemic and pre-endemic for D. immitis, such as Slovakia and Ukraine, it is reasonable to anticipate a rise in autochthonous heartworm infections and shifts in the epidemiological pattern of dirofilariasis in the coming years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mateusz Pękacz
- Division of Parasitology, Department of Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Ciszewskiego 8, Warsaw, 02-776, Poland.
| | - Katarzyna Basałaj
- Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wilcza 64, Warsaw, 00-679, Poland
| | - Martina Miterpáková
- Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, Košice, 040 01, Slovakia
| | | | - Diana Stopka
- Division of Pathology, Department of Pathology and Veterinary Diagnostics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Ciszewskiego 8, Warsaw, 02-776, Poland
| | - Dominika Graczyk
- Centrum Zdrowia Zwierząt, Brata Alberta 34, Warsaw, 05-075, Poland
| | - Anna Zawistowska-Deniziak
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Functional Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, Warsaw, 02-096, Poland
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Gabrielli S, Brustenga L, Morganti G, Ciuca L, Barlozzari G, Rigamonti G, Orlandi M, Sforna M, Veronesi F. Genetic variability of Dirofilaria repens isolates from humans and dogs in Italy. Vet Parasitol 2024; 326:110096. [PMID: 38141355 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2023.110096] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/25/2023]
Abstract
Dirofilaria repens is a paradigmatic example of an emerging vector-borne pathogen (VBP) in both human and veterinary fields. The spatial expansion and the increasing zoonotic impact of this VBP can be related to several drivers including the genetic structure of parasite populations. Italy is one of the European countries traditionally endemic with the highest incidence of canine and human cases of subcutaneous dirofilariosis. The present study aimed to assess the genetic identity and variability of D. repens isolates of human and canine origin from areas of Central Italy, compared with those isolated from different areas of Europe by sequence analysis of mtDNA genes (i.e., 12 S rDNA and cox1). A total of twenty isolates of D. repens were obtained from biopsies of subcutaneous and ocular cases of dirofilariosis occurring in 10 dogs and 10 humans. The sequence analysis of 12 S rDNA showed that all the sequences obtained clustered as a monophyletic group with a strong nodal support, indicating that all sequence types represented D. repens. The cox1 and the 12 S sequence analysis did not show host-related polymorphisms between human and dog-derived specimens. The sequence analysis of cox1 was performed including 8 additional sequences previously obtained from human and canine isolates in the same areas. Out of the 28 sequences analyzed, 20 were grouped in a haplogroup comprising 15 haplotypes (i.e., DR1, DR2, DR4, DR5, DR7, DR8, DR10-DR18), 2 sequences matched to DR9, reported for the first time in Italy, and 6 showed peculiar polymorphisms that were not previously described. The results obtained have implications for a better understanding of the epidemiology and phylogeography of this emerging vector-borne zoonotic parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Gabrielli
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Leonardo Brustenga
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Giulia Morganti
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Lavinia Ciuca
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Naple, Italy
| | - Giulia Barlozzari
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana M. Aleandri, Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Rigamonti
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Margherita Orlandi
- Freelance Veterinarian for MyLav - La Vallonea, Laboratorio di Analisi Veterinarie s.r.l. Passirana di Rho (MI), Italy
| | - Monica Sforna
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
| | - Fabrizia Veronesi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
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Kozlov SS, Ermakova LA, Lobzin YV, Nagorny SA, Kornienko IV, Telicheva VO, Kaliuzhina MA, Pshenichcnaya NY. [A case of pleuropulmonary dirofilariasis caused by Dirofilaria repens. Case report]. TERAPEVT ARKH 2023; 95:970-975. [PMID: 38158954 DOI: 10.26442/00403660.2023.11.202477] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
The differential diagnosis of neoplasms of various localizations is the primary task in clinical practice of all physicians. We present a description of the case of invasion with Dirofilaria repens in the lung of a 68-year-old patient. In 2016 the patient was diagnosed with cancer of the left kidney and underwent a left-sided nephrectomy. During the dynamic observation in 2019, a lump was found in the left lung, which was regarded as a metastasis. An atypical SIX resection of the left lung was performed. Microscopy of the removed lump revealed the presence of a nematode of the genus Dirofilaria, presumably D. repens. The species identity of D. repens was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction using species-specific primers. It is known that the morphological identification of parasites up to the species in the surgical material presents certain difficulties and requires high professional training of the researcher. Therefore, the diagnosis of dirofilariasis in atypical localizations of nematodes in the human body is of great importance in the differentiation of malignant and benign formations, and the use of the polymerase chain reaction method can significantly increase the accuracy in establishing the final diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- S S Kozlov
- Pediatric Research and Clinical Center for Infectious Diseases
- Saint Petersburg State Pediatric Medical University
- Kirov Military Medical Academy
| | - L A Ermakova
- Rostov Research Institute of Microbiology and Parasitology
| | - Y V Lobzin
- Pediatric Research and Clinical Center for Infectious Diseases
- Kirov Military Medical Academy
- Mechnikov North-Western State Medical University
| | - S A Nagorny
- Rostov Research Institute of Microbiology and Parasitology
| | - I V Kornienko
- Federal Research Center Southern Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences
- Southern Federal University
| | - V O Telicheva
- Rostov Research Institute of Microbiology and Parasitology
| | - M A Kaliuzhina
- Rostov Research Institute of Microbiology and Parasitology
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Miterpáková M, Valentová D, Hurníková Z. Dirofilaria immitis conquering the regions in Slovakia previously endemic for D. repens. Parasitol Res 2023; 122:2945-2950. [PMID: 37773461 PMCID: PMC10667417 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-07983-4] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
The present study was focused on the current state of Dirofilaria species distribution in the territory of the Slovak Danubian Lowland, a region previously identified endemic for Dirofilaria repens. For the research, blood samples of 330 dogs tested positive for dirofilariosis using concentration tests or "rapid heartworm tests" were sent by private veterinary practitioners for further DNA analyses and species determination. The results revealed an unquestionable change in the pattern of Dirofilaria species distribution with Dirofilaria immitis, diagnosed as the agent of mono- and co-infections with D. repens, responsible for 60.00% of all cases. The results showed that in the course of the last 5 years, D. immitis has spread significantly in Slovakia and has become the dominant causal agent of dirofilariosis in the former endemic areas of D. repens distribution, which increases infection risk for both dogs and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Miterpáková
- Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 040 01, Košice, Slovakia
| | - Daniela Valentová
- Veterinary and Food Institute, Botanická 15, 842 52, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Zuzana Hurníková
- Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 040 01, Košice, Slovakia.
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Roblejo-Arias L, Díaz-Corona C, Piloto-Sardiñas E, Díaz-Sánchez AA, Zając Z, Kulisz J, Woźniak A, Moutailler S, Obregon D, Foucault-Simonin A, Corona-González B, Cabezas-Cruz A. First molecular characterization of Dirofilaria Immitis in Cuba. BMC Vet Res 2023; 19:239. [PMID: 37978522 PMCID: PMC10655431 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-023-03803-0] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dirofilarioses are widespread diseases caused by mosquito-borne nematodes of the family Onchocercidae, genus Dirofilaria. The major etiologic agent of canine dirofilariosis in the American continent is the zoonotic parasite Dirofilaria immitis. Existing reports of filarioid nematodes in Cuba are based solely on morphological and immunological analysis which do not allow unambiguous identification and/or direct detection of causal agents. RESULTS Here we present the molecular characterization of filarioid nematodes found in a dog in Cuba. Based on the molecular and phylogenetic analysis of the 5.8S-ITS2-28S region and cox1 gene fragments, the worms were unambiguously classified as D. immitis. Sequence analysis showed high identity of the gene fragments in this study with others previously obtained from D. immitis found in dogs, wolfs and jackals but also from mosquito vectors of D. immitis. CONCLUSIONS Further studies are guarantee to better understand the epidemiological impact of canine dirofilariosis in Cuba as well as the competence of different species of culicid mosquitoes as vectors of Dirofilaria in the country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisset Roblejo-Arias
- Direction of Animal Health, National Center for Animal and Plant Health, Carretera de Tapaste y Autopista Nacional, Apartado Postal 10, San José de las Lajas, Mayabeque, 32700, Cuba
| | - Cristian Díaz-Corona
- Direction of Animal Health, National Center for Animal and Plant Health, Carretera de Tapaste y Autopista Nacional, Apartado Postal 10, San José de las Lajas, Mayabeque, 32700, Cuba
| | - Elianne Piloto-Sardiñas
- Direction of Animal Health, National Center for Animal and Plant Health, Carretera de Tapaste y Autopista Nacional, Apartado Postal 10, San José de las Lajas, Mayabeque, 32700, Cuba
- Laboratoire de Santé Animale, ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | | | - Zbigniew Zając
- Department of Biology and Parasitology, Medical University of Lublin, Radziwiłłowska 11st, Lublin, 20-080, Poland
| | - Joanna Kulisz
- Department of Biology and Parasitology, Medical University of Lublin, Radziwiłłowska 11st, Lublin, 20-080, Poland
| | - Aneta Woźniak
- Department of Biology and Parasitology, Medical University of Lublin, Radziwiłłowska 11st, Lublin, 20-080, Poland
| | - Sara Moutailler
- Laboratoire de Santé Animale, ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Dasiel Obregon
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Angélique Foucault-Simonin
- Laboratoire de Santé Animale, ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Belkis Corona-González
- Direction of Animal Health, National Center for Animal and Plant Health, Carretera de Tapaste y Autopista Nacional, Apartado Postal 10, San José de las Lajas, Mayabeque, 32700, Cuba.
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- Laboratoire de Santé Animale, ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Maisons-Alfort, France.
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Ballesteros N, Castañeda S, Muñoz M, Flórez A, Pinilla JC, Ramírez JD. The first report of Dirofilaria repens infection in dogs from Colombia. Parasitol Res 2023; 122:2445-2450. [PMID: 37530869 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-07926-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
Dirofilariasis is a mosquito-borne disease caused by Dirofilaria parasites, affecting both wild and domestic animals, including humans considered as accidental hosts. Dirofilaria repens is the principal causative agent of dirofilariasis in the Old World, with increasing reports of the parasite in countries where it has not been previously identified, due to several factors such as the expansion of mosquito vectors' geographical distribution. By utilizing newly designed primers for molecular detection and confirming through next-generation sequencing, here, we report the first plausible cases of D. repens in dogs from Colombia. Our results support the classification of this species as an emergent pathogen in the Americas. Finally, we encourage an increase in diagnostic and surveillance efforts to prevent and control the current and future dirofilariasis cases in this region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalia Ballesteros
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Sergio Castañeda
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Marina Muñoz
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Angel Flórez
- Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Chillán, Chile
| | - Juan Carlos Pinilla
- Grupo de Investigación en Ciencias Agropecuarias, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Naturales y Agropecuarias, Universidad de Santander (UDES), Bucaramanga, Colombia
| | - Juan David Ramírez
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia.
- Department of Pathology, Molecular, and Cell-Based Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
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Ugolini S, Lima M, Maffi M, Pierangeli F, Vastano M, Gargano T, Varani S, Gustinelli A, Caffara M, Fioravanti ML. Dirofilaria repens Testicular Infection in Child, Italy. Emerg Infect Dis 2022; 28:2569-2572. [PMID: 36418007 PMCID: PMC9707574 DOI: 10.3201/eid2812.220424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Testicular Dirofilaria repens infection was identified and confirmed by sequence analysis in a child in northeastern Italy. Because human dirofilariasis is emerging in southern and eastern Europe, this parasitic infection should be considered in the differential diagnosis of scrotal swelling in disease-endemic countries to avoid unnecessary interventions, such as orchiectomy.
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Geissler N, Ruff J, Walochnik J, Ludwig W, Auer H, Wiedermann U, Geissler W. Autochthonous Human Dirofilaria repens Infection in Austria. Acta Parasitol 2022; 67:1039-1043. [PMID: 35020126 PMCID: PMC9165251 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-021-00506-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE This report describes a rare autochthonous case of human D. repens infection in Austria. Dirofilariosis is a mosquito-borne parasitic infection that predominantly affects dogs. Human D. repens infections have primarily been reported in Mediterranean countries, but are emerging throughout Central and Northern Europe. METHODS The worm was removed surgically and identified using PCR and DNA sequencing. The consensus sequences were compared against reference sequences of Dirofilaria repens from GenBank. RESULTS The 56-year-old woman acquired the infection, which presented as a subcutaneous nodule, in Vienna, Austria. This is the second autochthonous case of human D. repens infection in Austria. CONCLUSION The reasons for the emergence of D. repens and other parasitic infections in Central and Northern Europe are manifold, including climate change and globalization. This case demonstrates that with the growing number of D. repens infections, health care professionals must place further emphasis on emerging infectious diseases to ensure appropriate diagnostics and treatment in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora Geissler
- Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Johanna Ruff
- Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Julia Walochnik
- Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Wilhelm Ludwig
- Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Herbert Auer
- Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ursula Wiedermann
- Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Nagy V, Nagyová D. A rare clinical presentation of human Dirofilaria repens infection as a pseudo-tumour of the epididymis - Case Report. Ann Agric Environ Med 2021; 28:348-351. [PMID: 34184522 DOI: 10.26444/aaem/136387] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Introduction. Epididymal dirofilariasis is one of the unusual manifestations of this zoonosis. In Slovakia, this is the third case out of 20 Dirofilaria repens infected patients in whom the worm (the parasite) was identified in the epididymis. The patient felt a painless tumour about 2 cm in size on the left testicle. During ultrasound examination, the radiologist observed a cyst containing a live worm within the epididymis. After mechanical stimulation, the movement characteristic for filarial worms (´filarial dance sign´) appeared. An orchiectomy was performed at the Department of Urology in the University Hospital in Košice. Histopathology confirmed a parasitic cyst with a worm, and based on characteristic morphological features, the parasite was identified as Dirofilaria repens. Objective. The aim of case report is to alert physicians to the possibility dirofilarial infection of the epididymis, where tumors and cystic structures often occur and to present clinical signs of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Nagy
- P.J.Šafárik University, Medical Faculty and L.Pasteur University Hospital, Košice, Slovak Republik, Slovak Republic
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Demirci B, Bedir H, Taskin Tasci G, Vatansever Z. Potential Mosquito Vectors of Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaira repens (Spirurida: Onchocercidae) in Aras Valley, Turkey. J Med Entomol 2021; 58:906-912. [PMID: 33164092 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjaa233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Dirofilaria immitis (Leidy, 1856) and Dirofilaria repens (Railliet & Henry, 1911) are mosquito-borne filarial nematodes that primarily affect dogs, causing heartworm disease and subcutaneous dirofilariosis. The canine heartworm is reported in different provinces in Turkey. However, studies about the transmitting mosquito species are limited. Hence, this study aimed to investigate potential vectors of D. immitis and D. repens in Aras Valley, Turkey. In total, 17,995 female mosquitoes were collected from eight villages during three mosquito seasons (2012-2014) in Aras Valley, located in north-eastern Turkey. A total of 1,054 DNA pools (527 abdomen and 527 head-thorax) were tested with Dirofilaria primers by multiplex-polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Aedes caspius was the most abundant species in collection sites with 90%; this was followed by Culex theileri Theobald, 1903 (Diptera: Culicidae) (7.31%), Anopheles maculipennis Meigen 1818 (Diptera: Culicidae) (1.28%), Culex pipiens Linnaeus, 1758 (Diptera: Culicidae) (0.43%), (Anopheles) hyrcanus (Pallas, 1771) (Diptera: Culicidae) (0.37%), Aedes vexans (Meigen, 1830) (Diptera: Culicidae) (0.25%), and Culiseta annulata Schrank, 1776 (Diptera:Culicidae) (0.02%). Dirofilaria immitis and D. repens were detected in mosquito pools from five villages. The total Dirofilaria spp. estimated infection rate was 1.33%. The highest estimated infection rate was found in Ae. vexans (6.66%) and the lowest was in Ae. caspius (1.26%). The results show that An. maculipennis sl, Ae. caspius, Ae. vexans, Cx. theileri and Cx. pipiens are potential vectors of D. immitis and D. repens with DNA in head-thorax pools; An. hyrcanus is also a likely vector, but Dirofilaria DNA was found only in abdomen pools for the study area. This study revealed new potential vector species for D. immitis. Mosquitoes with natural infections of D. repens were reported for the first time in Turkey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berna Demirci
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science and Letters, Kafkas University, Kars, Turkey
| | - Hilal Bedir
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Kafkas University Kars, Turkey
| | - Gencay Taskin Tasci
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kafkas University Kars, Turkey
| | - Zati Vatansever
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kafkas University Kars, Turkey
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Bozidis P, Sakkas H, Pertsalis A, Christodoulou A, Kalogeropoulos CD, Papadopoulou C. Molecular Analysis of Dirofilaria repens Isolates from Eye-Care Patients in Greece. Acta Parasitol 2021; 66:271-276. [PMID: 32780297 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-020-00257-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Human ocular dirofilariasis is a zoonotic disease caused by several species of filarioid helminths of the genus Dirofilaria. The aim of this study was to further re-examine five preserved specimens previously isolated from patients with ocular dirofilariasis by molecular means. METHODS Four of the examined helminths had been stored in unbuffered formaldehyde solution for more than eight years; whereas, the fifth helminth was stored in ethanol buffer for more than two years. For the four specimens stored in formaldehyde, different methods of DNA recovery and amplification were applied and investigated for their efficiency in DNA extraction and PCR amplification. However, the DNA extraction and PCR amplification were successful only for the ethanol-preserved helminth. RESULTS The genetic identification of the ethanol-preserved specimen as Dirofilaria repens (D. repens) and its phylogenetic position based on the analysis of mitochondrial 12S ribosomal RNA, nuclear 18S ribosomal RNA and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit one sequences are reported in the present paper. To our knowledge, these are the only deposited sequences related to D. repens that have been isolated in Greece. CONCLUSIONS Routine laboratory diagnosis is based on phenotypic characteristics of the helminthic parasites, but more accurate diagnosis requires molecular identification. Although the specimens preserved in formalin buffers may be a potential source for the enrichment of parasite genome databases, the DNA recovery of such samples is a challenging task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petros Bozidis
- Microbiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110, Ioannina, Greece.
| | - Hercules Sakkas
- Microbiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Athanasios Pertsalis
- Microbiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110, Ioannina, Greece
| | | | - Chris D Kalogeropoulos
- Ophthalmology Department, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Chrissanthy Papadopoulou
- Microbiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110, Ioannina, Greece
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Gebauer J, Ondruš J, Kulich P, Novotný L, Sałamatin R, Husa P, Novobilský A. The first case of periorbital human dirofilariasis in the Czech Republic. Parasitol Res 2021; 120:739-742. [PMID: 33415394 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-07003-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Dirofilaria repens and Dirofilaria immitis are the most common filarial species affecting humans in Europe. Dirofilaria repens causes subcutaneous or ocular infection, whereas D. immitis is responsible mainly for the pulmonary form. In this report, we present the first human case of periorbital dirofilariasis in the Czech Republic. A 58-year-old woman suffered from an eyelid oedema, redness and pain in the left eye. After excising the parasite from her eyelid, all clinical symptoms disappeared. Based on the morphology and cytochrome oxidase I sequencing, the parasite was identified as D. repens. Histology revealed that the excised worm was female with absent microfilariae in uteri. With respect to the length of the incubation period and the sequence identity with a known Czech isolate, we concluded that D. repens was most likely of autochthonous origin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Gebauer
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Veterinary Research Institute, Hudcova 296/70, 621 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jaroslav Ondruš
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Veterinary Research Institute, Hudcova 296/70, 621 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Kulich
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Veterinary Research Institute, Hudcova 296/70, 621 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ladislav Novotný
- Novopath s.r.o., Vrchlického 230, 533 45, Čeperka, Czech Republic
- Finn Pathologists, CVS Group, One Eyed Lane, Weybread, Norfolk, UK
| | - Rusłan Sałamatin
- Department of General Biology and Parasitology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-004, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Petr Husa
- Department of Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Brno, Jihlavská 340/20, Brno, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Kamenice 735/5, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Adam Novobilský
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Veterinary Research Institute, Hudcova 296/70, 621 00, Brno, Czech Republic.
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Barlozzari G, Felice T, Salvato L, Conti R, De Liberato C, Furzi F, Gabrielli S, Scarpulla M. Usual or unusual presentations of Dirofilaria repens in two sibling dogs: a case report. Parasitol Res 2021; 120:109-115. [PMID: 33079268 PMCID: PMC7574397 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06926-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [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: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
This study describes two different manifestations of Dirofilaria repens infection in sibling dogs with microfilaremia. Dog 1, asymptomatic, harbored a gravid female of D. repens on the parietal layer of tunica vaginalis of one testicle and showed a marked circulating eosinophilia (3.3·103/μL). Both testicles were normal in shape and size without any gross lesions. Dog 2 had a pyotraumatic dermatitis. The cases were confirmed by PCR and sequencing. The sequences obtained showed 100% identity with those of D. repens isolated from human scrotum in Croatia. The treatment with moxidectin 2.5% and imidacloprid 10%/kg was effective in eliminating microfilariae after just one application, as demonstrated by negative modified Knott's tests and PCR analyses of blood samples. This status was maintained during the post-treatment observation period. The classical localization of D. repens in dogs is in subcutaneous tissues, within nodules or free; however, it can also occur with some frequency in testicles, as described in humans. The infection can be associated with circulating eosinophilia or pyotraumatic dermatitis, as reported in this study. Thus, in endemic areas, it is advisable to carefully inspect the removed testicles at neutering since parasite localization can take place without any macroscopic changes. Moreover, in the case of circulating eosinophilia or pyotraumatic dermatitis, investigations should include modified Knott's test and PCR to ensure that D. repens is not the cause of these alterations. Rapid and sensitive tests for the early detection of infected animals would help to prevent or limit the spread of this zoonosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Barlozzari
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana M. Aleandri, Rome, Italy.
| | | | - Laura Salvato
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana M. Aleandri, Rome, Italy
| | - Raffaella Conti
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana M. Aleandri, Rome, Italy
| | - Claudio De Liberato
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana M. Aleandri, Rome, Italy
| | - Federica Furzi
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Simona Gabrielli
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Manuela Scarpulla
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana M. Aleandri, Rome, Italy
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Aydın MF, Altay K, Aytmirzakizi A, Dumanlı N. First Molecular Detection of Dirofilaria immitis and D. repens in Dogs from Kyrgyzstan. Acta Parasitol 2020; 65:949-953. [PMID: 32588179 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-020-00245-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens are the causative agents of cardiopulmonary and subcutaneous dirofilariosis, respectively. This neglected disease mainly seen in dogs, cats and wild carnivores is re-emerging recent years. No study was conducted on dirofilariosis in dogs in Kyrgyzstan. PURPOSE The goal of this study was to investigate Dirofilaria species using PCR and sequencing in dogs from Kyrgyzstan. METHOD Dirofilaria spp. infection in dogs was screened via convential PCR and sequencing in 337 dogs from Kyrgyzstan. RESULT The overall prevalence of Dirofilaria spp. was 0.59% (2/337): DNA of D. immitis was detected in one sample and DNA of D. repens in second positive sample. In second sample, parallel co-infection of D. repens with Wolbachia was also found. While D. immitis sequence showed 98.70-100% similarity with previously reported sequences of D. immitis from dog blood, D. repens shared 100% identity with other sequences of D. repens. CONCLUSION These results provided first evidence for Dirofilaria spp. in Kyrgyzstan and emphasized the veterinary and medical importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehmet Fatih Aydın
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Karamanoglu Mehmetbey, 70100, Karaman, Turkey.
| | - Kürşat Altay
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sivas Cumhuriyet University, 58140, Sivas, Turkey
| | - Ayperi Aytmirzakizi
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Kırgızistan-Türkiye Manas University, 720044, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
| | - Nazir Dumanlı
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Kırgızistan-Türkiye Manas University, 720044, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Firat University, 23119, Elazig, Turkey
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Haim A, Kitchen M, Auer H, Rettenbacher T, Schmuth M. A case of human Dirofilaria repens infection, causing an asymptomatic subcutaneous nodule. Parasitol Res 2020; 119:1703-1705. [PMID: 32206885 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06655-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
We present a case of subcutaneous dirofilariasis, a vector-borne zoonotic disease, in a young woman from Austria. The diagnosis was confirmed by ultrasound and histology of the excised subcutaneous nodule. The parasite species was identified as Dirofilaria repens by polymerase chain reaction. We expect to see more cases of human dirofilariasis also due to climate change and associated increase of the spectrum of suitable mosquito vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Haim
- Universitätsklinik für Dermatologie, Venerologie und Allergologie. Medizinische Universität Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Maria Kitchen
- Universitätsklinik für Dermatologie, Venerologie und Allergologie. Medizinische Universität Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Herbert Auer
- Institut für spezifische Prophylaxe und Tropenmedizin. Medizinische Universität Wien, Kinderspitalsgasse 15, 1090, Wien, Austria
| | - Thomas Rettenbacher
- Universitätsklinik für Dermatologie, Venerologie und Allergologie. Medizinische Universität Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Matthias Schmuth
- Universitätsklinik für Dermatologie, Venerologie und Allergologie. Medizinische Universität Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
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Rydzanicz K, Golab E, Rozej-Bielicka W, Masny A. Screening of mosquitoes for filarioid helminths in urban areas in south western Poland-common patterns in European Setaria tundra xenomonitoring studies. Parasitol Res 2019; 118:127-138. [PMID: 30535561 PMCID: PMC6329736 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-018-6134-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [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: 03/22/2018] [Accepted: 10/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, numerous studies screening mosquitoes for filarioid helminths (xenomonitoring) have been performed in Europe. The entomological monitoring of filarial nematode infections in mosquitoes by molecular xenomonitoring might serve as the measure of the rate at which humans and animals expose mosquitoes to microfilariae and the rate at which animals and humans are exposed to the bites of the infected mosquitoes. We hypothesized that combining the data obtained from molecular xenomonitoring and phenological studies of mosquitoes in the urban environment would provide insights into the transmission risk of filarial diseases. In our search for Dirofilaria spp.-infected mosquitoes, we have found Setaria tundra-infected ones instead, as in many other European studies. We have observed that cross-reactivity in PCR assays for Dirofilaria repens, Dirofilaria immitis, and S. tundra COI gene detection was the rule rather than the exception. S. tundra infections were mainly found in Aedes mosquitoes. The differences in the diurnal rhythm of Aedes and Culex mosquitoes did not seem a likely explanation for the lack of S. tundra infections in Culex mosquitoes. The similarity of S. tundra COI gene sequences found in Aedes vexans and Aedes caspius mosquitoes and in roe deer in many European studies, supported by data on Ae. vexans biology, suggested host preference as the most likely cause of the mosquito genus-biased infections. High diversity of the COI gene sequences isolated in the city of Wroclaw in south western Poland and the presence of identical or almost identical sequences in mosquitoes and roe deer across Europe suggests that S. tundra has been established in most of Europe for a very long time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Rydzanicz
- Department of Microbial Ecology and Environmental Protection, Institute of Genetics and Microbiology, University of Wrocław, Przybyszewskiego 63/77, 51-148 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Elzbieta Golab
- Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Public Health – National Institute of Hygiene, Chocimska 24, 00-791 Warszawa, Poland
| | - Wioletta Rozej-Bielicka
- Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Public Health – National Institute of Hygiene, Chocimska 24, 00-791 Warszawa, Poland
| | - Aleksander Masny
- Department of Influenza Research, National Influenza Center, National Institute of Public Health – National Institute of Hygiene, Chocimska 24, 00-791 Warszawa, Poland
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18
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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] [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: 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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Kłudkowska M, Pielok Ł, Frąckowiak K, Masny A, Gołąb E, Paul M. Dirofilaria repens infection as a cause of intensive peripheral microfilariemia in a Polish patient: process description and cases review. Acta Parasitol 2018; 63:657-663. [PMID: 29975647 DOI: 10.1515/ap-2018-0077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Dirofilariasis is a parasitic disease of dogs and other carnivores transmitted mainly by the mosquitoes of the genera Culex, Aedes, Anopheles. Full life cycle of the Dirofilaria nematodes in humans is extremely rarely observed, usually lacking species determination at the molecular level. We report fully documented unusual clinical manifestation of subcutaneous dirofilariasis with intensive microfilariemia in peripheral blood revealed by the Knott's concentration technique. The identification of the Dirofilaria repens nematode was based on typical morphological findings for adult gravid female nematode found in the histopathological preparations. The morphology of microfilariae obtained from patient's peripheral blood was also typical for D. repens. The final identification was confirmed by the molecular analysis of microfilariae collected from the blood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matylda Kłudkowska
- Poznań University of Medical Sciences, Department and Clinic of Tropical and Parasitic Diseases, Poznań, Poland
- H. Święcicki University Hospital, Central Laboratory of Microbiology, Division of Parasitology, Poznań, Poland
| | - Łukasz Pielok
- Poznań University of Medical Sciences, Department and Clinic of Tropical and Parasitic Diseases, Poznań, Poland
| | - Krystyna Frąckowiak
- H. Święcicki University Hospital, Central Laboratory of Microbiology, Division of Parasitology, Poznań, Poland
| | - Aleksander Masny
- National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene, Department of Influenza Research, National Influenza Center, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Elżbieta Gołąb
- National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene, Department of Medical Parasitology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Paul
- Poznań University of Medical Sciences, Department and Clinic of Tropical and Parasitic Diseases, Poznań, Poland
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Čabanová V, Miterpáková M, Valentová D, Blažejová H, Rudolf I, Stloukal E, Hurníková Z, Dzidová M. Urbanization impact on mosquito community and the transmission potential of filarial infection in central Europe. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:261. [PMID: 29690912 PMCID: PMC5937826 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-2845-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2018] [Accepted: 04/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite long-term research on dirofilariosis in Slovakia, little attention has thus far been paid to Dirofilaria vectors. The particular aim of the present study was molecular screening for filarioid parasites in two different habitats of Bratislava, the capital city of Slovakia. In addition, the effect of urbanisation on mosquito species abundance and composition, associated with the risk of mosquito-borne infections, was studied and discussed. METHODS Mosquitoes were identified by morphological features, and molecular methods were also used for determination of selected individuals belonging to cryptic species from the Anopheles maculipennis and Culex pipiens complexes. The presence of filarioid DNA (Dirofilaria repens, Dirofilaria immitis and Setaria spp.) was detected using standard PCR approaches and sequencing. RESULTS A total of 6957 female mosquitoes were collected for the study. Overall, the most abundant mosquito species was Aedes vexans, closely followed by unidentified members of the Cx. pipiens complex and the less numerous but still plentiful Ochlerotatus sticticus species. Further investigation of mosquito material revealed 4.26% relative prevalence of Dirofilaria spp., whereby both species, D. repens and D. immitis, were identified. The majority of positive mosquito pools had their origin in a floodplain area on the outskirts of the city, with a relative prevalence of 5.32%; only two mosquito pools (1.26%) were shown to be positive in the residential zone of Bratislava. Setaria spp. DNA was not detected in mosquitoes within this study. CONCLUSIONS The study presented herein represents initial research focused on molecular mosquito screening for filarioid parasites in urban and urban-fringe habitats of Bratislava, Slovakia. Molecular analyses within the Cx. pipiens complex identified two biotypes: Cx. pipiens biotype pipiens and Cx. pipiens biotype molestus. To our knowledge, Dirofilaria spp. were detected for the first time in Slovakia in mosquitoes other than Ae. vexans, i.e. D. repens in Anopheles messeae and unidentified members of An. maculipennis and Cx. pipiens complexes, and D. immitis in Coquillettidia richiardii and Cx. pipiens biotype pipiens. Both dirofilarial species were found in Och. sticticus. The suitable conditions for the vectors' biology would represent the main risk factor for dirofilariosis transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viktória Čabanová
- Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 040 01 Košice, Slovakia
| | - Martina Miterpáková
- Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 040 01 Košice, Slovakia
| | - Daniela Valentová
- State Veterinary and Food Institute, Botanická 15, 842 52 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Hana Blažejová
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, v.v.i, Czech Academy of Sciences, Květná 8, 603 65 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ivo Rudolf
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, v.v.i, Czech Academy of Sciences, Květná 8, 603 65 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Eduard Stloukal
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Mlynská dolina B-1, SK-842 15 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Zuzana Hurníková
- Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 040 01 Košice, Slovakia
| | - Marianna Dzidová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Mlynská dolina B-1, SK-842 15 Bratislava, Slovakia
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Supryaga VG, Morozova LF, Rakova VM, Morozov EN, Sergiev VP, Ivanova TN, Turbabina NA. [(HUMAN DIROFILARIASIS: CLINICAL DIAGNOSTIC FEATURES ASSOCIATED WITH DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES OF THE PATHOGEN)]. Med Parazitol (Mosk) 2017:3-9. [PMID: 30721595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
To seek medical advice is due to the time when a person has become infected during the infection transmission season (July-August) and the duration of development of the pathogen Dirofilaria (N.) repens in his/her body Clinical manifes- tations occurred in 61% of the patients 6-10 months after infection, as confirmed by the maximum body sizes (125-160 mm) of removed females which have reached puberty. PCR-based diagnosis in conjunction with microscopic studies improves the efficiency of identifying the patients and the species of the pathogens D.repens and D.immitis. The use of these methods for the first time in 2016 could confirm D.immitis infestation in a 14-month-old infant living in the Solnechnogorsk District, Moscow Region.
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Yilmaz E, Fritzenwanker M, Pantchev N, Lendner M, Wongkamchai S, Otranto D, Kroidl I, Dennebaum M, Le TH, Anh Le T, Ramünke S, Schaper R, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Poppert S, Krücken J. The Mitochondrial Genomes of the Zoonotic Canine Filarial Parasites Dirofilaria (Nochtiella) repens and Candidatus Dirofilaria (Nochtiella) hongkongensis Provide Evidence for Presence of Cryptic Species. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2016; 10:e0005028. [PMID: 27727270 PMCID: PMC5058507 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2016] [Accepted: 09/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cutaneous dirofilariosis is a canine mosquito-borne zoonosis that can cause larva migrans disease in humans. Dirofilaria repens is considered an emerging pathogen occurring with high prevalence in Mediterranean areas and many parts of tropical Asia. In Hong Kong, a second species, Candidatus Dirofilaria hongkongensis, has been reported. The present study aimed to compare mitochondrial genomes from these parasites and to obtain population genetic information. Methods and Findings Complete mitochondrial genomes were obtained by PCR and Sanger sequencing or ILLUMINA sequencing for four worms. Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 sequences identified three as D. repens (all from Europe) and one as C. D. hongkongensis (from India). Mitochondrial genomes have the same organization as in other spirurid nematodes but a higher preference for thymine in the coding strand. Phylogenetic analysis was in contradiction to current taxonomy of the Onchocercidae but in agreement with a recent multi-locus phylogenetic analysis using both mitochondrial and nuclear markers. D. repens and C. D. hongkongensis sequences clustered together and were the common sister group to Dirofilaria immitis. Analysis of a 2.5 kb mitochondrial genome fragment from macrofilaria or canine blood samples from Europe (42), Thailand (2), India (1) and Vietnam (1) revealed only small genetic differences in the D. repens samples including all European and the Vietnam sample. The Indian C. D. hongkongensis and the two Thai samples formed separate clusters and differences were comparatively large. Conclusion Genetic differences between Dirofilaria spp. causing cutaneous disease can be considerable whereas D. repens itself was genetically quite homogenous. C. D. hongkongensis was identified for the first time from the Indian subcontinent. The full mitochondrial genome sequence strengthens the hypothesis that it represents an independent species and the Thai samples might represent another cryptic species, Candidatus Dirofilaria sp. ‘Thailand II’, or a quite divergent population of C. D. hongkongensis. The mitochondrial genomes of the zoonotic parasite species Dirofilaria repens and Candidatus Dirofilaria hongkongensis were characterized and compared to the genomes of other filariae. The resulting phylogeny is largely in agreement with recent molecular data. C. D. hongkongensis was placed as a sister group to D. repens and both as a common sister to D. immitis. The large genetic difference between D. repens and C. D. hongkongensis further supports the hypothesis that both are distinct valid species. Two canine samples from Thailand that were diagnosed as D. repens are either from a C. D. hongkongensis population that is quite divergent from the Indian population or might represent another currently unrecognized species in the genus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esra Yilmaz
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Moritz Fritzenwanker
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner site Giessen-Marburg-Langen, Campus Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | | | - Mathias Lendner
- Institut für Parasitologie, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sirichit Wongkamchai
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Domenico Otranto
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Inge Kroidl
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical Centre of the University of Munich (LMU); German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner site Munich, Germany
| | - Martin Dennebaum
- Section Clinical Tropical Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thanh Hoa Le
- Immunology Department, Institute of Biotechnology, Ha Noi, Viet Nam
| | - Tran Anh Le
- Department of Parasitology, Viet Nam Veterinary Medical University, Ha Noi, Viet Nam
| | - Sabrina Ramünke
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | - Sven Poppert
- University Medical Center, Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- * E-mail:
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Raele DA, Pugliese N, Galante D, Latorre LM, Cafiero MA. Development and Application of a Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) Approach for the Rapid Detection of Dirofilaria repens from Biological Samples. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2016; 10:e0004789. [PMID: 27341205 PMCID: PMC4920375 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2016] [Accepted: 05/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Dirofilariasis by Dirofilaria repens is an important mosquito vector borne parasitosis, and the dog represents the natural host and reservoir of the parasite. This filarial nematode can also induce disease in humans, and in the last decades an increasing number of cases have been being reported. The present study describes the first loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay to detect D. repens DNA in blood and mosquitoes. Two versions of the technique have been developed and described: in the first, the amplification is followed point by point through a real time PCR instrument (ReT-LAMP); in the second, the amplification is visualized by checking UV fluorescence of the reaction mixture after addition of propidium iodide (PI-LAMP). The two variants use the same set of 4 primers targeting the D. repens cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. To assess the specificity of the method, reactions were carried out by using DNA from the major zoonotic parasites of the family of Onchocercidae, and no amplification was observed. The lower limit of detection of the ReT-LAMP assay was 0.15 fg/μl (corresponding to about 50 copy of COI gene per μl). Results suggest that the described assay is specific, and its sensitivity is higher than the conventional PCR based on the same gene. It is also provide a rapid and cost-effective molecular detection of D. repens, mainly when PI-LAMP is applied, and it should be performed in areas where this emerging parasitosis is endemic. Dirofilaria repens is a filarial nematode which mainly infests the dog, but humans may be occasionally infested, too. The spread of the parasite is mediated by a number of mosquitoes species, which are well recognized as vectors of D. repens. The majority of reports of the disease come from the European Countries, especially those along the Mediterranean basin, but in the last decade several cases have been recorded also from Asian and African Countries, and this led the scientific community to consider such parasitosis an emerging disease. To date, diagnosis is based the morphologic analysis of microfilariae, isolated from the blood of infected hosts, but this may be time-consuming and the identification of parasite requires specialized parasitologists. The here described approach, based on the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), allows the detection of D. repens genomic DNA directly from the biological samples, and it may be easily and rapidly performed, producing unequivocal results in less than a hour. We also presented two versions of the assays. The first, a real-time LAMP, is characterized by a very high sensitivity but it requires an expensive real time PCR instrument, while the second, performed with the addition of propidium iodide, does not need such equipment, therefore being very affordable. This makes it suitable to be carried out in field and whenever expensive equipment or specialized personnel lacks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donato Antonio Raele
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Puglia e della Basilicata, Unit of Medical Entomology, Department of Virology, Foggia, Italy
- * E-mail:
| | - Nicola Pugliese
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Puglia e della Basilicata, Unit of Medical Entomology, Department of Virology, Foggia, Italy
| | - Domenico Galante
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Puglia e della Basilicata, Unit of Medical Entomology, Department of Virology, Foggia, Italy
| | - Laura Maria Latorre
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Puglia e della Basilicata, Unit of Medical Entomology, Department of Virology, Foggia, Italy
| | - Maria Assunta Cafiero
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Puglia e della Basilicata, Unit of Medical Entomology, Department of Virology, Foggia, Italy
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Șuleșco T, Volkova T, Yashkova S, Tomazatos A, von Thien H, Lühken R, Tannich E. Detection of Dirofilaria repens and Dirofilaria immitis DNA in mosquitoes from Belarus. Parasitol Res 2016; 115:3535-41. [PMID: 27169723 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-016-5118-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2016] [Accepted: 05/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
During the last two decades, Belarus faces an increase of human cases of Dirofilaria (Nematoda, Spirurida, Onchocercidae) infections. However, comprehensive analyses explaining this development and the identification of mosquito vector species are missing. Here, we present results using temperature data from Belarus and show that the annual number of human Dirofilaria cases is significantly correlated with the yearly average temperatures (Spearman's rho = 0.49, p < 0.05) and the average sum of potential Dirofilaria transmission days (Spearman's rho = 0.46, p < 0.05), suggesting that autochthonous transmission is at least in part responsible for the increasing number of clinical Dirofilaria cases in the country. In addition, 467 female mosquitoes were collected from different sampling sites in the regions of Brest and Minsk, which were analyzed by molecular methods for the presence of Dirofilaria repens and Dirofilaria immitis DNA, respectively. Two pools (5.56 %) were tested positive for Dirofilaria (estimated infection rate per 100 specimens = 0.44, 95 % confidence interval = 0.08-1.43), comprising one Anopheles claviger s.l. pool that was positive for D. repens and one Culex pipiens s.l./Culex torrentium pool positive for D. immitis DNA. This, to our knowledge, is the first molecular evidence for the presence of Dirofilaria in mosquitoes from Belarus, suggesting a high probability of autochthonous Dirofilaria transmission in the country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana Șuleșco
- Institute of Zoology, Academy of Sciences of Moldova, Chisinau, Moldova
| | - Tatiana Volkova
- Scientific and Practical Center of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus for Biological Resources, Minsk, Belarus
| | - Svetlana Yashkova
- Ministry of Health of the Republic of Belarus, State Republican Center of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Public Health, Minsk, Belarus
| | - Alexandru Tomazatos
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, WHO Collaborating Centre for Arbovirus and Haemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research National Reference Centre for Tropical Infectious Diseases, Bernhard-Nocht-Straße 74, 20359, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Heidrun von Thien
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, WHO Collaborating Centre for Arbovirus and Haemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research National Reference Centre for Tropical Infectious Diseases, Bernhard-Nocht-Straße 74, 20359, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Renke Lühken
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, WHO Collaborating Centre for Arbovirus and Haemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research National Reference Centre for Tropical Infectious Diseases, Bernhard-Nocht-Straße 74, 20359, Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Egbert Tannich
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, WHO Collaborating Centre for Arbovirus and Haemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research National Reference Centre for Tropical Infectious Diseases, Bernhard-Nocht-Straße 74, 20359, Hamburg, Germany
- Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Hamburg-Luebeck-Borstel, Hamburg, Germany
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Bogacheva AS, Ganushkina LA, Lopatina YV. [INFECTION OF BLOOD-SUCKING MOSQUITOES (DIPTERA: CULICIDAE) WITH DIROFILARIAE (SPIRURIDA, ONCHOCERCIDAE) IN THE TULA REGION]. Med Parazitol (Mosk) 2016:8-12. [PMID: 27405207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Blood-sucking mosquitoes (n = 2277) collected in Tula and its Region in 2013-2014 were examined using a PCR assay for dirofilariae. A total of 12 species from 4 genera (Culiseta, Aedes, Ochlerotatus [foreign character] Culex) out of 18 found mosquito species were infected with Dirofilaria immitis and D. repens. The proportion of the infected mosquitoes was 2.5% (D. immitis, 1.5%; D.repens, 1%). According to preliminary data, the most efficient Dirofilaria vectors, in the Tula Region may be Ae. vexans, Ae. geniculatus, Och. cantans, and Cx. pipiens.
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Varlamova AI, Arkhipov IA. [CIRCULATION OF DIROFILARIA REPENS (RAILLIET ET HENRY, 1911) IN THE ARID ZONE OF SOUTHERN RUSSIA]. Med Parazitol (Mosk) 2016:28-31. [PMID: 27405212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The prevalence of dirofilariasis was studied in dogs from the urban and rural areas in Southern Russia. The high prevalence of Dirofilaria repens infection were established among the dogs in the Republic of Kalmykia. The blood samples from 328 dogs were tested; D. repens infection was detected in 23.6 and 15.5% of the rural and urban dogs, respectively. The highest prevalence of D. repens infection was noted in of 4-6-year-old dogs. Dogs aged 0, 1-3, 4-6 7-9, and more 10 years were infected in 0, 26.3, 33.3, 29.4, and 28.5% of cases, respectively.
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Prisnyi YA. [Blood-sucking mosquitoes (family Culicidae) in the oak-groves of the Belgorod Region: Species-specific composition, phenological characteristics, and value in Dirofilaria transmission]. Med Parazitol (Mosk) 2016:25-28. [PMID: 27405211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
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28
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Czajka C, Becker N, Jöst H, Poppert S, Schmidt-Chanasit J, Krüger A, Tannich E. Stable transmission of Dirofilaria repens nematodes, northern Germany. Emerg Infect Dis 2014; 20:328-31. [PMID: 24447653 PMCID: PMC3901495 DOI: 10.3201/eid2002.131003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
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Tappe D, Plauth M, Bauer T, Muntau B, Dießel L, Tannich E, Herrmann-Trost P. A case of autochthonous human Dirofilaria infection, Germany, March 2014. Euro Surveill 2014; 19:2-4. [PMID: 24821120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
In March 2014, an infection with the nematode Dirofilaria repens was diagnosed in a German citizen in the federal state of Saxony-Anhalt. The patient had developed an itching subcutaneous nodule containing a female worm, which was identified as D. repens by 12S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) gene sequencing. Autochthonous human D. repens infections have not been described in Germany so far, but this finding is consistent with the recent detection of D. repens in mosquitoes from east Germany.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Tappe
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
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30
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Morozov EN, Supriaga VG, Rakova VM, Morozova LF, Zhukova LA. [Human dirofilariasis: clinical and diagnostic signs and diagnostic methods]. Med Parazitol (Mosk) 2014:13-17. [PMID: 25296420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The clinical and diagnostic signs caused by the tissue location and migration of adult Dirofilaria in the human body determine the use of different methods for the diagnosis of dirofilariasis. During their investigations, the authors modified polymerase chain reaction (PCR): they chose and synthesized primers and selected amplification regimens for them and obtained agarose gel bands that corresponded to PCR fragment length nucleotide sequences that were equal to 245 bp for D. (N.) repens and 656 bp for D. immitis. There was 100% agreement in the results of PCR and microscopic examination of sera from 32 dogs and 1 female patient with low parasitemia and in the blood nucleotide sequence characteristic of D. repens.
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Sævik BK, Jörundsson E, Stachurska-Hagen T, Tysnes K, Brun-Hansen H, Wikström HC, Robertson LJ. Dirofilaria repens infection in a dog imported to Norway. Acta Vet Scand 2014; 56:6. [PMID: 24447798 PMCID: PMC3933376 DOI: 10.1186/1751-0147-56-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [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: 09/02/2013] [Accepted: 01/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Dirofilaria repens infection was diagnosed in a dog that had been imported to Norway from Hungary three years previously. The dog was a four-year-old castrated male mixed-breed dog and presented for examination of two masses on the right thoracic wall. Fine needle sampling from the subcutaneous nodules and subsequent cytological examination revealed a high number of microfilariae and a pyogranulomatous inflammation. At re-examination approximately 3 weeks later, both masses had apparently disappeared spontaneously, based on both inspection and palpation. However, examination of peripheral blood by a modified Knott's test revealed a high number of unsheathed microfilariae with mean length of 360 μm and mean width of 6-7 μm, often with the classic umbrella handle appearance of D. repens. Polymerase chain reaction and sequencing confirmed the D. repens diagnosis. Subcutaneous dirofilariosis caused by D. repens is probably the most common cause of human zoonotic dirofilariosis in Europe, but currently is rarely encountered in northern countries such as Norway. However, travelling, import and relocation of dogs have increased, and thus the geographical range of these parasites is likely to increase from traditionally endemic southern regions. Increasing numbers of autochthonous cases of D. repens infections in dogs have been reported in eastern and central Europe. Although infection with D. repens often induces only mild signs or subclinical infections in dogs, they nevertheless represent a reservoir for zoonotic transmission and thus a public health concern, and, in addition, due to the long prepatent period and the high frequency of subclinical infections or infections with unspecific clinical signs, could easily be missed. Lack of experience and expectation of these parasites may mean that infection is underdiagnosed in veterinary clinics in northern countries. Also, predicted climate changes suggest that conditions in some countries where this infection is currently not endemic are likely to become more suitable for development in the intermediate host, and thus the establishment of the infection in new areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bente K Sævik
- Department of Basic Sciences and Aquatic Medicine, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, PO Box 8146, N-0033 Oslo, Norway
| | - Einar Jörundsson
- Department of Basic Sciences and Aquatic Medicine, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, PO Box 8146, N-0033 Oslo, Norway
| | - Teresa Stachurska-Hagen
- Department of Food Safety and Infection Biology, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, PO Box 8146, N-0033 Oslo, Norway
| | - Kristoffer Tysnes
- Department of Food Safety and Infection Biology, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, PO Box 8146, N-0033 Oslo, Norway
| | - Hege Brun-Hansen
- Department of Basic Sciences and Aquatic Medicine, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, PO Box 8146, N-0033 Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Lucy J Robertson
- Department of Food Safety and Infection Biology, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, PO Box 8146, N-0033 Oslo, Norway
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Mckay T, Bianco T, Rhodes L, Barnett S. Prevalence of Dirofilaria immitis (Nematoda: Filarioidea) in mosquitoes from northeast Arkansas, the United States. J Med Entomol 2013; 50:871-878. [PMID: 23926787 DOI: 10.1603/me12197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
A mosquito survey was conducted to identify which species of mosquitoes carry Dirofilaria immitis (Leidy) (Nematoda: Filarioidea), dog heartworm, in northeast Arkansas. Using polymerase chain reaction, mosquitoes were analyzed for D. immitis, Dirofilaria repens Railliet & Henry, and Acanthocheilonema dracunculoides Cobbold. Mosquitoes were collected from April to October 2009 using black light ultraviolet traps baited with dry ice. Sixteen mosquito species were identified. D. immitis was identified in nine mosquito species, which included Aedes vexans (Meigen), Anopheles quadrimaculatus Say, Anopheles punctipennis (Say), Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus Say, Culex erraticus (Dyer & Knab), Culiseta inornata (Williston), Psorophora columbiae (Dyer & Knab), Psorophora ferox (Humboldt), and Psorophora howardii Coquillett. No D. repens or A. dracunculoides DNA was amplified. Of the 1,212 mosquito pools tested, 7.3% were positive for D. immitis. Frequency of D. immitis infections from six collection sites ranged from 2.1 to 19.4%. Ae. vexans and An. quadrimaculatus were the two most abundant species, composing 58.7 and 23.7% of the total mosquitoes collected, with 9.6 and 6.9% of pools positive for D. immitis, respectively. To investigate localized vector infection rates of D. immitis, mosquitoes were collected from inside the kennel of a heartworm-positive dog. Of the 114 mosquitoes collected, 84 (73.7%) were positive for D. immitis. The frequency of D. immitis-infected mosquitoes collected near a heartworm-positive dog was considerably higher than in the original six collection sites, suggesting a single heartworm-positive dog potentially increases infection pressure on susceptible animals sharing mosquito exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanja Mckay
- Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University, P.O. Box 599, State University, AR 72467, USA.
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Cielecka D, Żarnowska-Prymek H, Masny A, Salamatin R, Wesołowska M, Gołąb E. Human dirofilariosis in Poland: the first cases of autochthonous infections with Dirofilaria repens. Ann Agric Environ Med 2012; 19:445-450. [PMID: 23020037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Dirofilaria (Nochtiella) repens Railliet et Henry, 1911 (Nematoda: Onchocercidae) is a subcutaneous parasite of dogs and other carnivorous animals, with human acting as incidental hosts. D. repens occurs endemically in warm climates on various continents, in Europe mainly in Mediterranean countries. The aim of this study was to summarize information on human dirofilariosis in Poland, taking into consideration parasitological and epidemiological data. Between April 2009-December 2011, in the parasitological laboratories of Medical University in Warsaw and the National Institute of Public Health/National Institute of Hygiene, fragments of affected human tissues and parasite specimens were examined microscopically. Molecular methods were used to confirm the results from eight microscopic investigations. A literature review to summarize all data on dirofilarial infections in humans in Poland was conducted. In these investigations, autochthonous dirofilariosis was found in humans for the first time in Poland. During the last 3 years, 12 new cases of human D. repens dirofilariosis were recognized. Since 2007, a total of 18 D. repens infection have been found in humans in Poland. Parasitic changes were located in various parts of the body, in the form of subcutaneous nodules containing single nematodes surrounded by granulation tissue (15 cases). In 3 cases, a subconjuctival localization was found. Seventeen of the 18 described cases were noted in central Poland where dirofilariosis occured in dogs. In this area, autochtonous infection was identified in 3 women who had never left Poland in their lives; the others were probably infected outside the country while staying in endemic regions. Data on human and canine infection collected from central Poland during the last 5 years indicates that Dirofilaria repens has been introduced into our country, and that the infection is successfully spreading, with the border of the endemic area currently on 52°N, 21°E. To control the epidemiological situation it is necessary to identify D. repens hosts within local mosquito populations, and to monitor dogs. Because of the increasing number of cases of human infections, whether introduced or local, physicians should take dirofilariosis into consideration in differential diagnosis of skin and eye diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danuta Cielecka
- Department of General Biology and Parasitology, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland.
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