Dirofilaria immitis and Angiostrongylus vasorum: the contemporaneous detection in kennels. Issue 1 (December 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Del Prete, Luisa; Maurelli, Maria; Pennacchio, Saverio; Bosco, Antonio; Musella, Vincenzo; Ciuca, Lavinia; Cringoli, Giuseppe; Rinaldi, Laura
• Is Part Of: BMC veterinary research. Volume 11:Issue 1(2015)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 5
• Publication Date: 2015-12
• Subjects: Dirofilaria immitis -- Angiostrongylus vasorum -- Kennel -- FLOTAC -- DiroCHEK® ELISA; Veterinary medicine -- Research -- Periodicals; Veterinary medicine -- Periodicals; 636.0890724
• DOI: 10.1186/s12917-015-0619-y
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1746-6148

Abstract

Abstract Background The cardiopulmonary nematodesDirofilaria immitis andAngiostrongylus vasorum are increasingly reported in dogs and are responsible for two diseases with overlapping endemic areas, especially in Europe: dirofilariosis and angiostrongylosis. The reasons for their apparent emergence are unknown, but several factors (e.g. increased disease awareness, better diagnostic tools, climatic changes, seasonal population dynamics and movements of animals) may play a role in the recent rise in reports of infection in the various countries of Europe. The aim of this study was to investigate the seroprevalence ofD. immitis (by DiroCHECK® ELISA) and the fecal presence of first stage larvae (L1) ofA. vasorum (by FLOTAC) in dogs from 68 kennels of the Campania region (southern Italy). The fecal samples were collected from pooled samples using the box as epidemiological unit. To the authors's knowledge, this is the first cross-sectional survey conducted at regional-scale in Italy and in Europe on the contemporaneous detection ofD. immitis antigens andA. vasorum L1 in kennels. Results Antigens ofD. immitis were detected in 24/537 (4.4 %; 95 % Confidence Interval = 3.0–6.7) dogs in 6 out of the 68 kennels (8.8 %; 95 % CI = 3.6–18.9). The 24 positive samples forD. immitis antigen were tested also with AngioDetect® and only 1 sample was seropositive forA. vasorum with a prevalence of 4.2 %.A. vasorum L1 were detected in dogs from 9 out of the 68 kennels (13.2 %; 95 % CI = 21.8–44.9). Pooled fecal samples from 25 boxes out of the 1360 analyzed resulted positive toA. vasorum L1 (1.8 %; 95 % CI = 1.2–2.7). Conclusions The present study indicates that cardiopulmonary nematodes are present in Campania region in symptomatic dogs as well as in asymptomatic ones. Therefore, regular parasitological surveillance, appropriate treatment strategies and high quality standard of hygiene are required to guarantee the health and welfare of kennel dogs.