Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Eye worm infection in dogs spreading in Slovakia since 2016
By Miterpáková, Martina et al.·Published in Parasitology international·2022·Institute of Parasitology·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Thelazia callipaeda in Slovakia - From sporadic cases to endemic areas.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A number of dogs in Slovakia were diagnosed with an eye infection caused by a parasite called Thelazia callipaeda, which is spread by fruit flies. Many of these dogs showed mild symptoms like redness and irritation in their eyes, while a few had more severe issues, including discharge and corneal ulcers. Between 2016 and early 2021, veterinarians identified 142 cases in dogs and a couple in cats. This study shows that this parasite is becoming more common in Slovakia, indicating that pet owners should be aware of the potential for this infection in their animals.
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Abstract
Spirurid nematode Thelazia callipaeda, transmitted by the fruit fly Phortica variegata, is a causative agent of an ocular parasitic disease called also canine thelaziosis. Dogs, cats, and wild canids are considered the primary definitive hosts for the parasite, but humans may also serve as aberrant definitive hosts. For long decades the geographic range of T. callipaeda was strictly limited to the territory of Asia, but after the year 2000, the parasite began to spread rapidly through Europe. The first autochthonous infections of dogs and foxes in Slovakia were recorded in 2016. In the present study, the results of a whole-area surveillance for canine thelaziosis are reported. Altogether, 142 cases of infection caused by T. callipaeda were diagnosed by veterinarians in dogs between 2016 and the first quarter of 2021, and two cases of feline thelaziosis were recorded. The majority of the dogs showed mild ocular signs manifested by conjunctivitis; 8.5% of them suffered from more serious mucopurulent discharge, and in two dogs corneal ulceration was recorded. The screening revealed increasing trends in the occurrence of canine thelaziosis from both a temporal and spatial point of view and unambiguously confirms the endemic status of T. callipaeda in Slovakia with the prospect of its further expansion.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34737070/