Zoonotic dirofilariases: one, no one, or more than one parasite

Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria striata (Spirurida: Onchocercidae) detected in wild carnivores from Texas, United States

“…The absence of D. tenuis DNA sequences in GenBank is a limitation for studies in which blood samples of raccoons are molecularly assessed. Hence, molecular characterization of D. tenuis genes is urgently needed, especially because it is the third most common Dirofilaria species reported in humans ( Perles et al, 2024 ). A single juvenile male raccoon was previously reported to be naturally infected by two immature female D. immitis in Parramore Island, Virginia ( Snyder et al, 1989 ).…”

“…Despite being underdiagnosed in humans, the zoonotic role of D. immitis is known worldwide ( Theis, 2005 ; Fontes-Sousa et al, 2019 ; Oshima, 2023 ; Perles et al, 2024 ). Classical infections in humans are characterized by nodules on the lungs with minimal pathogenic relevance ( Hirano et al, 2002 ; Malik et al, 2016 ; Palicelli et al, 2022 ).…”

Beyond Tradition: Exploring Cutting-Edge Approaches for Accurate Diagnosis of Human Filariasis

“…Human infections with zoonotic filariasis are reported worldwide [ 8 ] and were first described in modern research over a century ago [ 9 ]. A number of different genera of filaria have been isolated from humans, including Dirofilaria [ 10 , 11 ], Brugia [ 12 , 13 ], Onchocerca [ 14 , 15 ], Dipetalonema [ 16 , 17 ], Loa [ 18 , 19 ], and Mansonella [ 20 , 21 ]. The location of these parasites within the human body varies from species to species.…”