Dioctophyme renale (Nematoda: Enoplida) in domestic dogs and cats in the extreme south of Brazil

Abstract

Dioctophyme renale is a zoonotic nematode that parasites the kidneys of wild and domestic carnivores, and it has been reported frequently in Brazil. The aim here was to register the number of cases of dogs and cats diagnosed with dioctophymosis by necropsy (1981 to 2014) and ultrasound examination (2010 to 2015) in Pelotas-RS. In this context, a survey was conducted on dioctophymosis cases diagnosed at the Veterinary Pathology Laboratory (LPV) and Veterinary Clinical Hospital (HCV) of the Federal University of Pelotas (UFPel), and at a specialist veterinary imaging diagnostics clinic. In total, 95 cases were registered. The high series of the disease in dogs can be related to the presence of a large number of stray and semi-domestic dogs in the city, and also due to the ingestion of intermediate hosts of D. renale parasitized with the infective larvae. Thus, it can be concluded that Pelotas is a city with favorable conditions for the occurrence of dioctophymosis with high rate of disease in recent years.Keywords: Giant kidney worm, dioctophymosis, nematode, parasitosis, urban zone. ResumoDioctophyme renale é um nematódeo zoonótico que parasita principalmente o rim de carnívoros silvestres e domésticos, e tem sido relatado com frequência no Brasil. Objetivou-se registrar o número de casos de cães e gatos diagnosticados com dioctofimatose por necropsia (1981 a 2014) e exame ultrassonográfico (2010 a 2015) em Pelotas-RS. Nesse contexto, foi realizado um inquérito de casos de dioctofimatose em animais de companhia no Laboratório de Patologia Veterinária (LPV) e no Hospital de Clínicas Veterinária (HCV) da Universidade Federal de Pelotas (UFPel), e em uma clínica veterinária especializada em diagnóstico por imagem, totalizando 95 casos registrados. A elevada casuística da doença em cães pode estar relacionada à presença de um grande número de cães errantes e semi-domiciliados na cidade, e também devido à ingestão dos hospedeiros intermediários de D. renale parasitados com a larva infectante. Assim, conclui-se que Pelotas é uma cidade propícia para a ocorrência de dioctofimatose, com elevada casuística da doença nos últimos anos.Palavras-chave: Verme gigante do rim, dioctofimatose, nematoide, parasitose, zona urbana.

Occurrence of Dioctophyme renale larvae (Goeze, 1782) (Nematoda: Enoplida) in a new host from southern Brazil

“…In Brazil, larvae of D. renale have been found in anurans (PEDRASSANI et al, 2009), fish (ABDALLAH et al, 2012;MASCARENHAS et al, 2016), and freshwater turtles (MASCARENHAS & MÜLLER, 2015;MASCARENHAS et al, 2017). Three of these cases of D. renale infection affecting aquatic organisms in Brazil (MASCARENHAS & MÜLLER, 2015;MASCARENHAS et al, 2016;MASCARENHAS et al, 2017) originated from the southern region of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, where several cases of dioctophymatosis have been diagnosed in dogs (RAPPETI et al, 2017). The present report documents the occurrence of D. renale larvae in a previously unreported host from southern Brazil.…”

“…It is worth mentioning that few specimens of P. hilarii e H. littorale were examined.The life cycle of D. renale consists of complex trophic interactions in which mammalian definitive hosts are infected through ingestion of intermediate hosts (freshwater oligochaetes) or paratenic hosts (fish and anurans) which are infected with third-stage larvae of the nematode(MACE & ANDERSON, 1975;MEASURES & ANDERSON, 1985). In the Brazilian cities of Pelotas and Capão do Leão the adult stage of D. renale occurs in domestic dogs, cats(RAPPETI et al, 2017) and in the wild carnivores Galictis cuja (Molina, 1782) (lesser grisson)(PESENTI et al, 2012), Lontra longicaudis(Olfers, 1818)…”

Giant kidney worm: novel report of Dioctophyma renale in the kidney of a dog in Greece

“…The majority of reported cases come from the cold temperate regions where freshwater is available, as its life cycle requires an aquatic environment. Brazil is the country with the highest number of reported D. renale cases in domestic dogs with prevalence rates up to 14.2% (Ferreira et al, 2010;Nakagawa et al, 2007;Pedrassani et al, 2017;Rappeti et al, 2017). Canine dioctophymatosis has also been reported recently in other Latin America countries, such as Colombia (Florez et al, 2018) and Argentina (Radman et al, 2017).…”

Lontra longicaudis infected with canine parvovirus and parasitized by Dioctophyma renale

“…In the present case, it is likely that the otter became infected by ingesting paratenic or intermediate (oligochaetes) hosts infected with L3 larvae (infective form). Apparently, the urban and periurban environments of the municipality of Pelotas are contaminated, considering that there are several records of D. renale in wild and domestic animals in the region (Pesenti et al 2012, Mascarenhas & Müller 2015, Mascarenhas et al 2016, Rappeti et al 2017. There is also a risk to public health, because cases of dioctophymosis have already been described in humans (Ignjatovic et al 2003, Li et al 2010.…”