Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How common is Angiostrongylus vasorum infection in Swedish dogs?
By Grandi, Giulio et al.·Published in Acta veterinaria Scandinavica·2017·Department of Microbiology·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Canine angiostrongylosis in Sweden: a nationwide seroepidemiological survey by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and a summary of five-year diagnostic activity (2011-2015).
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study in Sweden found that a small number of dogs tested positive for a parasite called Angiostrongylus vasorum, which can cause serious health issues. Out of nearly 4,000 dogs tested, only a few showed signs of infection, but the parasite has been confirmed in various areas, particularly in central and southern Sweden. This parasite can lead to a condition known as canine angiostrongylosis, which can be fatal if not treated. Pet owners should be aware of this risk and consult their veterinarian if they have concerns about their dog's health, especially if they live in affected areas.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: For the first time in Sweden, Angiostrongylus vasorum was detected on the island of Sydkoster in foxes and dogs in 2003. After sporadic detection of the parasite in foxes in southern Sweden, the first positive canine faecal sample on the mainland was found in 2011. Since then a total of 2882 faecal samples have been analysed with the Baermann test at the National Veterinary Institute (SVA) during the years 2011-2015; 20 of them being positive. Contemporaneously, of over 525 fox necropsies, only three were found to be infected. To gather a more accurate knowledge of A. vasorum occurrence in Sweden, a large scale seroepidemiological survey was performed and totally 3885 serum samples from dogs were tested for both the presence of circulating antigens and of specific antibodies to A. vasorum. RESULTS: In total, 0.10% (n = 4, 95% Confidence Intervals, CI 0.03-0.26%) of the dogs were positive for both antigen and antibodies, whereas 0.51% (n = 20, CI 0.31-0.79%) of the tested dogs were only antigen positive and 0.88% (n = 34, CI 0.61-1.22%) only positive for specific antibodies. Seropositive animals, as well as the majority of A. vasorum-positive faecal samples tested during the same period, were spread over central and southern Sweden. Annual prevalence of positive faecal dog samples and of necropsied A. vasorum positive foxes (coming from southern Sweden) varied from 0.3 to 0.9% (overall: 0.7%, CI 0.4-1.1%) and 0.0 to 1.4% (overall: 0.3%, CI 0.1-0.9%), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The findings confirmed that A. vasorum has become established in various geographical areas of central and southern Sweden. Veterinarians and dog owners should be aware of the potential risks of infection in large areas of the country, since canine angiostrongylosis may be a fatal disease if left untreated.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29258532/