Climate variability, global changes and the increase of the movement of pets across Europe are influencing the distribution pattern of many vector-‐borne infections. A straight forward example is the change of Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens distribution in many European countries, including Italy. D.immitis, endemic only in northern Italy in the past few decades, has now spread all over the country and nowadays canine heart worm infection is more frequently diagnosed also in central and southern Italy. D.repens is more homogeneously spread across Italy, with higher prevalence values in central and southern regions. The aim of this study was to update the data on canine dirofilariosis in the Campania region of southern Italy, where heart worm and subcutaneous dirofilarial infections were considered a minor problem by clinicians and parasitologists so far. Blood samples from asymptomatic dogs (no.=450) were randomly collected between 2008 and 2014 at various veterinary clinics from the region, and then analysed using the modified Knott technique for microfilariae detection. Microfilariae of D.immitis were detected in 10 dogs (2.2%; 95% Confidence Interval= 1.1-‐4.2%); microfilariae of D.repens were detected in 10 dogs (2.2%; 95% Confidence Interval= 1.1-‐4.2%); 1dog was co-‐infected with D. immitis and D. repens (0.2%; 95% Confidence Interval=0.01-1.4%). The anamnestic data of dogs revealed that only 2 of the 7 dogs (positive to D. immitis) were not natives of the Campania region, whereas the other positive dogs were native subjects never moved outside the region according to the knowledge of the owner. The results of this study show the existence of autochthonous foci of canine Dirofilaria infection in the Campania region of southern Italy
Dirofilaria infection in dogs from the Campania Region of southern Italy / Rinaldi, Laura; DEL PRETE, Luisa; Noviello, Emilio; Musella, Vincenzo; Cringoli, Giuseppe. - (2015), pp. 80-80. (Intervento presentato al convegno Second Conference on Neglected Vectors and Vector-borne diseases (EurNegVec) with management and working group meetings of the cost action TD1303 tenutosi a Izmir, Turkey nel March 31‐April 2, 2015).
Dirofilaria infection in dogs from the Campania Region of southern Italy
RINALDI, LAURA;DEL PRETE, LUISA;Noviello, Emilio;MUSELLA, VINCENZO;CRINGOLI, GIUSEPPE
2015
Abstract
Climate variability, global changes and the increase of the movement of pets across Europe are influencing the distribution pattern of many vector-‐borne infections. A straight forward example is the change of Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens distribution in many European countries, including Italy. D.immitis, endemic only in northern Italy in the past few decades, has now spread all over the country and nowadays canine heart worm infection is more frequently diagnosed also in central and southern Italy. D.repens is more homogeneously spread across Italy, with higher prevalence values in central and southern regions. The aim of this study was to update the data on canine dirofilariosis in the Campania region of southern Italy, where heart worm and subcutaneous dirofilarial infections were considered a minor problem by clinicians and parasitologists so far. Blood samples from asymptomatic dogs (no.=450) were randomly collected between 2008 and 2014 at various veterinary clinics from the region, and then analysed using the modified Knott technique for microfilariae detection. Microfilariae of D.immitis were detected in 10 dogs (2.2%; 95% Confidence Interval= 1.1-‐4.2%); microfilariae of D.repens were detected in 10 dogs (2.2%; 95% Confidence Interval= 1.1-‐4.2%); 1dog was co-‐infected with D. immitis and D. repens (0.2%; 95% Confidence Interval=0.01-1.4%). The anamnestic data of dogs revealed that only 2 of the 7 dogs (positive to D. immitis) were not natives of the Campania region, whereas the other positive dogs were native subjects never moved outside the region according to the knowledge of the owner. The results of this study show the existence of autochthonous foci of canine Dirofilaria infection in the Campania region of southern ItalyI documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
