Dirofilaria in Humans, Dogs, and Vectors in Austria (1978–2014)—From Imported Pathogens to the Endemicity of Dirofilaria repens

Abstract

BackgroundDirofilaria repens and D. immitis are filarioid helminths with domestic and wild canids as main hosts and mosquitoes as vectors. Both species are known to cause zoonotic diseases, primarily pulmonary (D. immitis), ocular (D. repens), and subcutaneous (D. repens) dirofilariosis. Both D. immitis and D. repens are known as invasive species, and their distribution seems associated with climate change. Until very recently, both species were known to be nonendemic in Austria.Methodology and Principal FindingsMetadata on introduced and possibly autochthonous cases of infection with Dirofilaria sp. in dogs and humans in Austria are analysed, together with analyses of mosquito populations from Austria in ongoing studies.In Austria, most cases of Dirofilaria sp. in humans (30 cases of D. repens—six ocular and 24 subcutaneous) and dogs (approximately 50 cases—both D. immitis and D. repens) were most likely imported. However, occasionally infections with D. repens were discussed to be autochthonous (one human case and seven in dogs). The introduction of D. repens to Austria was confirmed very recently, as the parasite was detected in Burgenland (eastern Austria) for the first time in mosquito vectors during a surveillance program. For D. immitis, this could not be confirmed yet, but data from Germany suggest that the successful establishment of this nematode species in Austria is a credible scenario for the near future.ConclusionsThe first findings of D. repens in mosquito vectors indicate that D. repens presumably invaded in eastern Austria. Climate analyses from central Europe indicate that D. immitis also has the capacity to establish itself in the lowland regions of Austria, given that both canid and culicid hosts are present.

Detection of Dirofilaria immitis in a brown bear (Ursus arctos) in Greece

“…Dirofi lariosis is particularly common in hunting dogs, as they are at higher risk of contracting the disease during hunting in forest areas with dense mosquito populations (Papazahariadou et al, 1994). Furthermore, hunting and military dogs are more often infected than other dogs and it is suggested that the stay outside overnight has the major effect on the exposure of dogs to mosquitoes (Fuehrer et al, 2016). In Greece, even though dirofi lariosis is enzootic, it has been recorded so far only in domestic animals and there have been no reports related to wildlife infections.…”

Brugia malayi dan Dirofilaria spp sebagai penyebab Filariasis pada hewan reservoir di daerah endemis di Kalimantan

“…3 Pada kasus filariasis juga ditemukan kasus dirofilariasis pada manusia dengan berbagai bentuk gejala. 2,[4][5][6] Penyakit ini berawal dari kasus sporadis yang biasanya tidak terdeteksi oleh tenaga kesehatan hingga menjadi endemis di suatu wilayah jika tidak segera ditangani dengan baik. 4 Kasus dirofilariasis pernah terjadi pada anak 11 tahun di Bali yang menderita inguinal lymphoma pada tahun 2001, tetapi kasus ini tidak terpublikasi di Indonesia.…”

“…2,[4][5][6] Penyakit ini berawal dari kasus sporadis yang biasanya tidak terdeteksi oleh tenaga kesehatan hingga menjadi endemis di suatu wilayah jika tidak segera ditangani dengan baik. 4 Kasus dirofilariasis pernah terjadi pada anak 11 tahun di Bali yang menderita inguinal lymphoma pada tahun 2001, tetapi kasus ini tidak terpublikasi di Indonesia. 4 Kabupaten Hulu Sungai Utara (HSU) di Kalimantan Selatan dan Kabupaten Kotawaringin Barat (KOBAR) di Kalimantan Tengah dilaporkan sebagai daerah endemis filariasis.…”

Dirofilaria immitis infestation in imported police (K-9) dogs in Iraq:

“…Dogs may live in close proximity to their owners, often sleeping within the same room and travelling with them, and therefore having shared exposure to household and recreational risk factors, whereby the health of the dog may mirror that of their owner (Schmidt, 2009). However, humans are less suitable hosts, in which the parasite usually cannot complete its life cycle (Fuehrer et al, 2016) and the dead D. immitis lodge in the peripheral pulmonary artery, causing a small and spherical infarction. This lesion appears as an occasional disease in the lungs that appear as solitary non-calcified coin lesion discovered on a routine chest radiograph (Simón et al, 2012).…”