Dirofilaria repens predominates in shelter dogs from South Romania. (May 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cimpan, Andrei Alexandru; Baneth, Gad; Nachum-Biala, Yaarit; Miron, Liviu; Rojas, Alicia
• Is Part Of: Comparative immunology, microbiology and infectious diseases. Volume 84(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-05
• Subjects: AL Alexandria -- BLAST basic local alignment search tool -- CI confidence interval -- DJ Dolj -- HRM high resolution melt analysis -- IAL Ialomița -- ITS2 internal transcribed spacer 2 -- PCR polymerase chain reaction -- RV Roșiorii de Vede -- TS Dobeta Turnu-Severin -- CO Coinfections with D. repens and D. immitis; Dirofilaria immitis -- Dirofilaria repens -- Acanthocheilonema reconditum -- Canine filariasis -- PCR -- Romania; Communicable diseases in animals -- Periodicals; Veterinary immunology -- Periodicals; Veterinary microbiology -- Periodicals; Immunology -- Periodicals; Microbiology -- Periodicals; Communicable diseases -- Periodicals; Communicable Diseases -- immunology -- Periodicals; Communicable Diseases -- veterinary -- Periodicals; Allergy and Immunology -- Periodicals; Microbiology -- Periodicals; Veterinary Medicine -- Periodicals; Immunologie -- Périodiques; Microbiologie -- Périodiques; Maladies infectieuses -- Périodiques; Communicable diseases; Immunology; Microbiology; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 636.08969
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2022.101793
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0147-9571

Abstract

Abstract: Canine filarioids are zoonotic vector-borne parasitic nematodes distributed mostly in the tropics and subtropics. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, distribution, etiology and genetic variation of canine filarioid infections by three different PCR techniques in four Southern Romanian counties. Blood samples of 300 shelter dogs were screened for infections with canine filarioids by real-time PCR. To determine filarioid species and coinfections, samples positive in the initial screening were further tested by conventional PCR and sequenced. Results indicated that 17% of the tested dogs were positive for at least one filarioid species. The prevalence of D. repens infection was 11.7%, significantly higher than that of D. immitis (4.7%) and A. reconditum (1.3%) (p ≤ 0.003). The high prevalence of canine filarioid infections represents a challenge to animal and human health in the South of Romania, and they should be constantly monitored. Graphical Abstract: ga1 Highlights: Canine filarioids were screened in sheltered dogs from South Romania. Three different molecular methods were used to detect single and co-infections. Dirofilaria repens significantly predominated in the analyzed dogs. Dirofilaria immitis and Acanthocheilonema reconditum were also detected. Constant monitoring is needed to diminish the risk of human infections.