Occurrence of Dirofilaria immitis in Stray Dogs from Nepal

Dirofilaria infections in dogs are recognized as widespread mosquito-borne diseases with zoonotic potential, that are caused by the filarioid nematode (Onchocercidae) species Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens. The long-term survey conducted in western and south-western Romania was undertaken in order to provide valuable data on the occurrence of Dirofilaria infections in dogs. Blood samples from 1088 dogs, originating from 73 localities of 11 western and south-western counties in Romania, were collected and examined using the modified Knott test. Subsequently, all of the microscopically positive samples were subjected to molecular analysis for confirmation. Altogether, the data obtained showed the percentage of dogs with circulating microfilariae to be 21.42% (233/1088) of dogs tested in the investigated region. The identified species, in cases of monoinfections, were D. immitis, D. repens, and Acanthocheilonema reconditum in 106 (9.74%) samples, 102 (9.38%) samples, and 1 (0.09%) sample, respectively. Twenty-four (2.21%) samples were simultaneously positive for D. immitis and D. repens. There was no association (p > 0.05) between infection status and breed; however, sex and lifestyle were positively associated (p < 0.05) with the percentage of dogs with circulating microfilariae and might be regarded as risk factors for infection. The results of the present investigation indicate potential zoonotic risks for humans living in the screened area and support the imperative to increase awareness among both veterinarians and physicians, regarding the continuous spread of these zoonotic filariae.

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“…Outside Europe, dirofilariosis was detected in Thailand [35,36], French Guyana [37], Nepal [38], Iran [39], and the USA [8,40].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identity of Microfilariae Circulating in Dogs from Western and South-Western Romania in the Last Decade

et al. 2021

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Heartworm adulticide treatment: a tropical perspective

Dantas‐Torres¹,

Ketzis²,

Tort³

et al. 2023

Parasites Vectors

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Dirofilaria immitis (the canine heartworm) is widespread in the tropics, with prevalence surpassing 30% in high-risk areas. In addition to the suitable climatic conditions that favour mosquito abundance and filarial larva development, there is low compliance with the recommended year-round use of preventives in these transmission hotspots. This represents a major concern, considering that melarsomine (first-line heartworm adulticide) is unavailable in several tropical countries, resulting in the so-called slow-kill protocol being the only available adulticide treatment option. In this article, the members of TroCCAP (Tropical Council for Companion Animal Parasites) review the current distribution of heartworm in the tropics and the availability of melarsomine, and discuss alternatives for the management of heartworm infections in dogs. Graphical Abstract

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Occurrence of Dirofilaria immitis in Stray Dogs from Nepal

Cited by 2 publications

References 41 publications

Identity of Microfilariae Circulating in Dogs from Western and South-Western Romania in the Last Decade

Identity of Microfilariae Circulating in Dogs from Western and South-Western Romania in the Last Decade

Heartworm adulticide treatment: a tropical perspective

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