Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
First report of Dirofilaria repens infection in dogs in Lazio Italy
By Scaramozzino, Paola et al.·Published in BMC infectious diseases·2005·Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Regioni Lazio e Toscana, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Dog filariosis in the Lazio region (Central Italy): first report on the presence of Dirofilaria repens.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that 1.75% of dogs in the Lazio region of Italy tested positive for Dirofilaria repens, a type of parasitic worm that can cause health issues. The blood samples were taken from both public kennels and private pet owners over a two-year period. Most infected dogs were from the Province of Roma, and living near coastal areas increased the risk of infection. This is the first time this parasite has been reported in dogs in this region, previously only seen in foxes. Pet owners should be aware of the potential risks and discuss preventive measures with their veterinarian.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Epidemiological investigations were carried out in the Lazio Region to assess the status of canine filariosis and to evaluate the actual risk for veterinary and medical public health. METHODS: Since August 2001 to June 2003, a total of 972 canine blood samples, collected in public kennels and from private owners animals of the 5 Provinces of the Region, were tested. The presence of filarial parasites was evaluated by microscopy and bio-molecular techniques; the species identification was performed by means of the same diagnostic tools. RESULTS: A total of 17/972 (1.75%; 95%CI 1.06%-2.85%) blood samples were parasitized by D. repens,13 out them drawn by dogs resident in the Province of Roma, and 4 in the other provinces. Multivariate analysis was performed in order to evaluate the association between filariosis and risk factors. The origin from coastal territories seems to be a significant risk factor to acquire the infection. CONCLUSION: This is the first report of canine filariosis in the Lazio Region, where D. repens was before reported only in foxes. The risk of human zoonotic infection is stressed, and the absence of other filarial species is discussed.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16185352/