Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with heartworm and skin worm co-infection clinical effects
By Mircean, Mircea et al.·Published in Parasitology international·2017·Department of Internal Medicine·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Clinical and pathological effects of Dirofilaria repens and Dirofilaria immitis in a dog with a natural co-infection.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old male Boxer in Romania was diagnosed with kidney failure and chronic bladder inflammation after showing symptoms related to these conditions. Tests revealed that he was infected with two types of heartworm parasites, Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens, which are typically spread by mosquitoes. This case is notable because it is the first report of D. repens being found in unusual locations within the dog's body. The treatment details were not specified, but addressing the infections and managing the kidney issues would be crucial for recovery.
People also search for: Boxer dog kidney failure treatment · heartworm infection in dogs · Dirofilaria repens symptoms in dogs
Abstract
Canine dirofilarioses are mosquito-borne zoonotic diseases with a continuous expansion of their geographical distribution, as a consequence of different climatic and ecological factors. Dirofilaria immitis, the aetiological agent of heartworm disease, has gained a major veterinary interest, mainly due to its severe clinical implication. In the last decades, D. repens, despite of being regarded as a less pathogenic species, regained attention due to its recognized zoonotic potential. Romania has been traditionally regarded as a non-endemic country, but recent epidemiological surveys are highlighting the presence of both D. repens and D. immitis. The present case report describes the clinical and pathological features of a natural co-infection with D. repens and D. immitis in 5year old male Boxer from north-western Romania. Based on clinical and laboratory investigations, a diagnosis of kidney failure and chronical cystitis was established. The parasites were identified by morphology and confirmed by PCR and sequencing. To the best of our knowledge this is the first worldwide report of the ectopic presence of D. repens adults in the pelvic cavity and mesentery by natural infection and first report of the ocular localization of this parasite for Romania. The clinical and paraclinical findings suggest the implication of D. repens microfilariae in the aetiology of histopathological lesions. Further investigations are needed in order to establish the actual pathogenic potential of D. repens, a frequently neglected parasite.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28232044/