Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Onchocerca lupi parasite found in California dogs and black flies
By Hassan, Hassan K et al.·Published in Emerging infectious diseases·2015·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Isolation of Onchocerca lupi in Dogs and Black Flies, California, USA.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Three dogs in southern California were diagnosed with eye infections caused by a parasite called Onchocerca lupi. This parasite was confirmed through tests on tissue samples and genetic analysis. Additionally, researchers found that a type of black fly, known as Simulium tribulatum, carried the parasite's DNA, suggesting these flies could be spreading the infection to dogs. While the study highlights the presence of this parasite and its potential vector, it does not provide specific treatment outcomes for the affected dogs. Pet owners should be aware of this infection if their dog shows signs of eye problems.
People also search for: dog eye infection treatment · Onchocerca lupi in dogs · black fly bites dogs · symptoms of dog eye problems
Abstract
In southern California, ocular infections caused by Onchocerca lupi were diagnosed in 3 dogs (1 in 2006, 2 in 2012). The infectious agent was confirmed through morphologic analysis of fixed parasites in tissues and by PCR and sequencing of amplicons derived from 2 mitochondrially encoded genes and 1 nuclear-encoded gene. A nested PCR based on the sequence of the cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 gene of the parasite was developed and used to screen Simulium black flies collected from southern California for O. lupi DNA. Six (2.8%; 95% CI 0.6%-5.0%) of 213 black flies contained O. lupi DNA. Partial mitochondrial16S rRNA gene sequences from the infected flies matched sequences derived from black fly larvae cytotaxonomically identified as Simulium tribulatum. These data implicate S. tribulatum flies as a putative vector for O. lupi in southern California.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25897954/