Molecular Study of <i>Dirofilaria immitis</i>
 and <i>Dirofilaria repens</i>
 in Dogs from Tunisia

Rjeibi, Mohamed Ridha; Rouatbi, Mariem; Mabrouk, Moez; Tabib, I.; Rekik, Mourad; Gharbi, Mohamed

doi:10.1111/tbed.12541

Cited by 19 publications

(14 citation statements)

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“…ticks are common, it would be expected that the pathogens related to this tick species would be also prevalent [ 15 , 24 , 60 ]. However, comparing the present study with other recent studies from Croatia [ 61 ], Greece [ 62 , 63 ], Corsica [ 64 ], Cyprus [ 65 ], Tunisia [ 66 ] and Israel [ 67 ], it is evident that E. canis , Hepatozoon spp. Babesia spp.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 60%

Does co-infection with vector-borne pathogens play a role in clinical canine leishmaniosis?

et al. 2018

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BackgroundThe severity of canine leishmaniosis (CanL) due to Leishmania infantum might be affected by other vector-borne organisms that mimic its clinical signs and clinicopathological abnormalities. The aim of this study was to determine co-infections with other vector-borne pathogens based on serological and molecular techniques in dogs with clinical leishmaniosis living in Spain and to associate them with clinical signs and clinicopathological abnormalities as well as disease severity.MethodsSixty-one dogs with clinical leishmaniosis and 16 apparently healthy dogs were tested for Rickettsia conorii, Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Bartonella henselae antigens by the immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) and for E. canis, Anaplasma spp., Hepatozoon spp., Babesia spp. and filarioid DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).ResultsAmong the dogs examined by IFAT, the seroprevalences were: 69% for R. conorii, 57% for E. canis, 44% for A. phagocytophilum and 37% for B. henselae; while the prevalences found by PCR were: 8% for Ehrlichia/Anaplasma, 3% for Anaplasma platys and 1% for H. canis. No other pathogen DNA was detected. Statistical association was found between dogs with clinical leishmaniosis and seroreactivity to R. conorii antigen (Fisher’s exact test: P = 0.025, OR = 4.1, 95% CI = 1–17) and A. phagocytophilum antigen (Fisher’s exact test: P = 0.002, OR = 14.3, 95% CI = 2–626) and being positive to more than one serological or molecular tests (co-infections) (Mann-Whitney test: U = 243, Z = -2.6, n1 = 14, n2 = 61, P = 0.01) when compared with healthy dogs. Interestingly, a statistical association was found between the presence of R. conorii, E. canis, A. phagocytophilum and B. henselae antibodies in sick dogs and some clinicopathological abnormalities such as albumin and albumin/globulin ratio decrease and increase in serum globulins. Furthermore, seroreactivity with A. phagocytophilum antigens was statistically associated with CanL clinical stages III and IV.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that dogs with clinical leishmaniosis from Catalonia (Spain) have a higher rate of co-infections with other vector-borne pathogens when compared with healthy controls. Furthermore, positivity to some vector-borne pathogens was associated with more marked clinicopathological abnormalities as well as disease severity with CanL.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 60%

Does co-infection with vector-borne pathogens play a role in clinical canine leishmaniosis?

et al. 2018

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“…Autochthonous D. repens infections have been reported in both dogs and humans in Egypt [158], Tunisia [159], Israel [160, 161], Iraq [162], Saudi Arabia [163], Dubai [164], Kuwait [165], Iran [166] and Turkey [167, 168]. While D. immitis is apparently absent from some Middle Eastern countries such as Israel where D. repens is present, D. immitis seems to be more common in dogs than D. repens in other countries such as Iran and Turkey [169, 170].…”

Section: History Of Dirofilaria Repens In Dogs and Humansmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recent advances on Dirofilaria repens in dogs and humans in Europe

et al. 2018

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Dirofilaria repens is a nematode affecting domestic and wild canids, transmitted by several species of mosquitoes. It usually causes a non-pathogenic subcutaneous infection in dogs and is the principal agent of human dirofilariosis in the Old World. In the last decades, D. repens has increased in prevalence in areas where it has already been reported and its distribution range has expanded into new areas of Europe, representing a paradigmatic example of an emergent pathogen. Despite its emergence and zoonotic impact, D. repens has received less attention by scientists compared to Dirofilaria immitis. In this review we report the recent advances of D. repens infection in dogs and humans, and transmission by vectors, and discuss possible factors that influence the spread and increase of this zoonotic parasite in Europe. There is evidence that D. repens has spread faster than D. immitis from the endemic areas of southern Europe to northern Europe. Climate change affecting mosquito vectors and the facilitation of pet travel seem to have contributed to this expansion; however, in the authors’ opinion, the major factor is likely the rate of undiagnosed dogs continuing to perpetuate the life-cycle of D. repens. Many infected dogs remain undetected due to the subclinical nature of the disease, the lack of rapid and reliable diagnostic tools and the poor knowledge and still low awareness of D. repens in non-endemic areas. Improved diagnostic tools are warranted to bring D. repens diagnosis to the state of D. immitis diagnosis, as well as improved screening of imported dogs and promotion of preventative measures among veterinarians and dog owners. For vector-borne diseases involving pets, veterinarians play a significant role in prevention and should be more aware of their responsibility in reducing the impact of the zoonotic agents. In addition, they should enhance multisectorial collaboration with medical entomologists and the public health experts, under the concept and the actions of One Health-One Medicine.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-018-3205-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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“…There was lower intraspecies variability in D. immitis isolateds in this study. The most intra-species variability belonged to D. repens, which made it as a distinct species (6,9,33,34). Wolbachia spp.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the current molecular study, the analysis did not show any similarity between D. immitis nucleotide sequence with this alpha protobacterium. The main benefit of a PCR-based technique is in specific identification and differentiation within different species, especially in the existence of the mixed infection (33)(34)(35)(36). Thus, the development of an appropriate diagnostic method for description and differentiation of Dirofilaria spp.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Morphological Description, Phylogenetic and Molecular Analysis of Dirofilaria immitis Isolated from Dogs in the Northwest of Iran

Khanmohammadi

Akhlaghi

Razmjou

et al. 2020

IJPA

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Background: Dirofilariasis is a globally distributed arthropod-borne parasitic disease of mainly canids and felids. We evaluated to extend the knowledge of morpho-molecular characteristics and outer ultrastructure of Dirofilaria immitis isolated from Northwest of Iran. Methods: Overall, 67 filarial worms including 26 males parasites were collected from the cardiovascular system of the 43 stray dogs in Meshkinshar, Ardebil Province, Northwest of Iran in 2017, and subjected to light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) as well as carmine alum staining for morpho-molecular and identification. Molecular methods were used for confirmation of morphological findings by sequencing of Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox1) gene. Results: The partial DNA sequencing of cox1 gene of adult parasites showed considerable homology and close proximity to the previously isolated from Kerman and Meshkinshahr, Iran. The lowest genetic variation and the highest intra-species variability was found in D. immitis and D. repens, respectively. No similarity was identified between D. immitis nucleotide sequence and Wolbachia species as its endosymbiont bacteria. Conclusion: The SEM technique is an excellent tool for differential recognition of the parasite surface morphology and molecular techniques could differentiate and identify Dirofilaria spp.

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Molecular Study of Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens in Dogs from Tunisia

Cited by 19 publications

References 19 publications

Does co-infection with vector-borne pathogens play a role in clinical canine leishmaniosis?

Does co-infection with vector-borne pathogens play a role in clinical canine leishmaniosis?

Recent advances on Dirofilaria repens in dogs and humans in Europe

Morphological Description, Phylogenetic and Molecular Analysis of Dirofilaria immitis Isolated from Dogs in the Northwest of Iran

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