Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dirofilaria repens infection found in dogs on Maio Island Cape Verde
By Marcos, R et al.·Published in Journal of helminthology·2017·Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: The occurrence of the filarial nematode Dirofilaria repens in canine hosts from Maio Island, Cape Verde.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs from Maio Island in Cape Verde was tested for a type of parasite called Dirofilaria repens, which can cause health issues. Out of 150 dogs, about 5.3% had signs of this parasite in their blood. The study found that older dogs and those from the western part of the island were more likely to be infected, but there was no difference between male and female dogs or dogs of different sizes. This is the first report of D. repens in Cape Verde, indicating a need for better monitoring and control of this parasite in the region.
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Abstract
The prevalence of canine Dirofilaria infection in Maio Island (Cape Verde) was analysed by serology, morphological and molecular identification of the parasite species. Blood and sera were collected from 150 dogs and 80 cats aged over 6 months from various localities of the island. DNA was extracted from blood and samples were screened by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using microfilaria-specific primers. No Dirofilaria immitis was found in dogs while D. repens microfilariae were found in 5.3% of dogs and 6% were positive by PCR. The species identity was confirmed by sequencing of PCR products, which showed almost 100% homology with D. repens European sequences published in GenBank. No difference in Dirofilaria infection was observed between males and females or in dogs with different weights. However, older dogs and those from the western part of Maio Island were more frequently infected. No Dirofilaria was found in cats. This study represents the first evidence of D. repens in Cape Verde (West Africa) and highlights the need for implementing control measures and for a better surveillance of dirofilariosis in Africa.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26830465/