Comparison of Diagnostic Tools for the Detection of Dirofilaria immitis Infection in Dogs

Panarese, Rossella; Iatta, Roberta; Otranto, Domenico; Szlosek, Donald; Braff, Jennifer; Liu, Joe; Beugnet, Frédéric; Dantas‐Torres, Filipe; Beall, Melissa J.

doi:10.3390/pathogens9060499

Cited by 29 publications

(21 citation statements)

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“…However, despite the high specificity of the morphological and molecular identification tests we used here to diagnose canine dirofilariasis, these tests remain incomplete and are limited by the possible presence of occult infections among the studied dogs. The use of heartworm antigen detection and/or molecular detection of the specific genotype of the symbiotic Wolbachia, together with morphological and molecular identification of microfilaria, were required to avoid a false-negative diagnosis and thus to detect hidden reservoirs [29,57]. In contrast to D. immitis, mitogenome phylogenies of D. repens from humans and dogs revealed three phylogenetically distinct genotypes along with D. hongkongenisis and Dirofilaria sp.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Human and Animal Dirofilariasis in Southeast of France

et al. 2021

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Dirofilariasis is one of the oldest known zoonotic infections of humans mainly caused by the filarial parasites of the species Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens, which primarily infect dogs. A five-year survey (2017 to 2021) was conducted among the dog population to assess the molecular prevalence of Dirofilaria spp. in southeast France. Morphological and genetic analysis were performed on filaroids from dogs and one infected woman from the studied area. A total of 12 (13%) dogs scored molecularly positive for Dirofilaria spp. of which nine carried blood microfilariae. Ocular dirofilariasis was detected in a 79-year-old woman with no travel history. Both electron microscopy and molecular sequencing identified the worm in the human case as D. repens. Molecularly, D. repens isolates were identical in the human and dog cases, representing the only genotype reported so far in France. Despite the distribution of this genotype through all Europe, it was grouped separately with the other two European genotypes and with Asian ones. As in almost all previous human cases in France, D. repens parasites were mainly recovered from the ocular region of patients and were geographically concentrated in the southeastern regions. Data demonstrate the sympatric occurrence of D. immitis and D. repens with high risk of infection to human and dog populations in these investigated geographical areas, thereby underlining the urgent need to implement preventive chemoprophylactic strategies and vector control to reduce the risk of these filaroids in dog and human populations.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In contrast to D. immitis , mitogenome phylogenies of D. repens from humans and dogs revealed three phylogenetically distinct genotypes along with D. hongkongenisis and Dirofilaria sp. from Asian countries [ 27 , 57 , 58 ]. Genotype I and II of D. repens were sympatric in European countries, whereas genotype II was found only in Italy.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Human and Animal Dirofilariasis in Southeast of France

et al. 2021

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“…The seasonal incidence for D. immitis infection observed in 2019 (63.9%) and 2020 (3.7%) are significantly different. In order to avoid false negative dogs due to a hard diagnosis of D. immitis, for both incidence evaluations we employed several diagnostic tools, and the overall positivity was considered to be the final incidence 2019/2020 [32]. We adopted the classical 5% error threshold and found that no other comparisons were significant; nevertheless, with the multiple factors involved and the high variability, we may consider the risk of error alpha to be 10% (P = 0.1).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Efficacy of afoxolaner (NexGard®) in preventing the transmission of Leishmania infantum and Dirofilaria immitis to sheltered dogs in a highly endemic area

et al. 2021

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Background Leishmania infantum and Dirofilaria immitis are among the most important canine vector-borne pathogens (CVBPs) of zoonotic concern in Europe. In endemic areas for both of these CVBPs, the use of systemic ectoparasiticides, such as afoxolaner (NexGard®; Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health), may have the potential for controlling these infections. The aim of this study was to assess, for the first time, the insecticidal efficacy of NexGard® in decreasing the transmission of D. immitis and L. infantum to sheltered dogs living in a hyperendemic area, compared to the year before treatment, as well as its impact on the abundance of mosquito and sand fly populations. Methods All dogs (n = 179) enrolled in the study were divided into two groups based on their infection status at enrollment: a non-infected group (G1) and an infected group (G2; infected with D. immitis, L. infantum or both). The study was conducted from March 2020 to March 2021. In order to exclude all animals infected with L. infantum and D. immitis before March 2020 (sampling time: T0), dogs in G1 were sampled in June (T1; i.e. T0 + 90 days) and in October 2020 (T2; i.e. T0 + 210 days). From March to September 2020, all animals (G1 and G2) were weighed and treated monthly with NexGard®. Animals in G1 were tested for the last time in March 2021 (T3; i.e. T0 + 330 days) for assessing post-treatment incidence rate of infection and prevention efficacy. Results The post-treatment incidence of D. immitis was 3.7% (1/27; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.2–18.1) and that of L. infantum was 3.6% (3/83; 95% CI: 1.0–10.1). Considering the annual incidence in 2019 and 2020, the protective efficacy against D. immitis and L. infantum infections was 94.2 and 64%, respectively. Of the female mosquitoes collected (n = 146), only one pool out of 50 tested positive for D. immitis DNA, whereas out of 1252 female Sergentomya minuta specimens collected, only four tested positive for L. infantum (0.3%). Conclusions Afoxolaner is efficacious in decreasing the rate of transmission of both D. immitis and L. infantum; however, comparison of the pre- and post-treatment period demonstrated that there was a significant difference only in the seasonal incidences of D. immitis infection. Preventive measures are recommended throughout the year in endemic areas to reduce the risk of pathogen transmission to animals and humans. Graphical abstract

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“…[19] https://www.cdc.gov/parasiteWWWs/dirofilariasis/biology_d_repens.html method is not recommended for the beginning of diagnosis, it may be a valuable secondary way for detecting dirofilariosis in dogs. [31] Treatment e most practical human treatment is the surgical removal of a nodule with a nematode, and chemotherapy is not recommended, since the worm is often dead inside the nodule, and no microfilaria is found in the human peripheral blood. In dogs, thiacetarsamide or melarsomine and ivermectin, milbemycin oxime, or levamisole are used as a filaricide and a microfilaricide respectively.…”

Section: Diagnosismentioning

confidence: 99%

Review of Dirofilaria spp. infection in humans and animals in Iran

Khamesipour

Nezaratizade

Basirpour

et al. 2021

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Dirofilariasis is a metazoonoses transmitted by certain mosquito genera (Culicidae: Diptera). Chiefly canids are the reservoirs of Dirofilaria spp. This article analyzed all published records and researches relevant to Dirofilaria in Iran, to provide a basis for future studies in Iran and around the world. All of the important data from human and animal cases that included the pathogen and its reservoir, dispersion, and retrospective studies were investigated and analyzed. Furthermore, the natural history of parasites, pathogenicity, diagnosis, treatment, control, and the final status of the disease in the world was briefly mentioned. Two species of the genus Dirofilaria, Dirofilaria immitis (canine heartworm) and Dirofilaria repens, are detected in Iran. Till now, 13 human cases have been formally reported including seven subcutaneous and three ocular cases of D. repens, a four cases of D. immitis, including a rare case in testicular hydrocele, one ocular and one pre-ocular, a subconjunctival and two pulmonary cases suspected to be D. immitis. Animal and human infections have been recorded in 11 provinces of Iran. Different investigators have reported D. immitis in dogs (with the frequency of 0.95–62.8%), jackals (2.5 57.4%), foxes (5.7–50%), wolves (20–50%), and cats (0.8%) and D. repens in dogs (1.4–60.8%) and jackals (10%) in different areas of the country. The reports on Dirofilaria in Iran are to some extent scattered as regarded to distribution and other features of the disease. More studies should be taken in dirofilariasis in Iran, specifically in regions from where there are no reports.

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Comparison of Diagnostic Tools for the Detection of Dirofilaria immitis Infection in Dogs

Cited by 29 publications

References 28 publications

Human and Animal Dirofilariasis in Southeast of France

Human and Animal Dirofilariasis in Southeast of France

Efficacy of afoxolaner (NexGard®) in preventing the transmission of Leishmania infantum and Dirofilaria immitis to sheltered dogs in a highly endemic area

Review of Dirofilaria spp. infection in humans and animals in Iran

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