Frequency of Subclinical Dirofilariosis in Dogs - Results of Retrograde Analysis of Archive Blood Samples

Dirofilarioza je vektorski prenosiva bolest pasa i drugih kanida, koju prenose različite vrste komaraca (porodica Culicidae), a uzrokuju je oblići iz roda Dirofilaria. Dirofilaria immitis parazitira u pulmonalnim arterijama i desnom srcu i može prouzročiti kardiopulmonalnu bolest kod pasa, a D. repens parazitira uglavnom u potkožju i invazija je supkliničkog tijeka. Zoonotskoga su potencijala, a u Europi raste broj ljudi invadiranih s D. repens, što predstavlja ozbiljni javno-zdravstveni problem. Međutim, znanstveni interes je uglavnom usredotočen na D. immitis zbog patogenosti i značaja u veterinarskoj medicini. Cilj ovog istraživanja je bio ažurirati informacije o učestalosti dirofilarioze u populaciji pasa u središnjem dijelu Hrvatske primjenom modificiranog test po Knott-u i komercijalnog brzog testa za detekciju cirkulirajućeg antigena D. immitis. Detektirano je 8.3% pasa s mikrofilarijama od čega se 8.1% odnosilo na D. repens, a 0.4% na D. immitis. Jedan uzorak je bio pozitivan na oba oblića, i D. repens i D. immitis.Dirofilariosis is a vector-borne disease of dogs and other canids transmitted by the various mosquito species (family Culicidae ) and it is caused by nematodes of the genus Dirofilaria. D. immitis parasitizes in the pulmonary arteries and right heart chambers and it could cause heartworm disease in dogs, while D. repens parasitizes mainly in subcutaneous tissues and causes a subclinical infection. Both have zoonotic potential, and the human infections caused by D. repens are increasing in Europe representing a serious threat to public health. However, the scientific interest has tended to focus mostly on D. immitis because of its pathogenicity and veterinary importance. This study aimed to update the information about incidence on dirofilariosis in the canine population in the central part of Croatia using modified Knott's test and commercial test kit to detect circulating antigens. 8.3% microfilaremic dogs were detected of which 8.1% were caused by D. repens and 0.4% were caused by D. immitis. The single sample showed a mixed infection with both D. repens and D. immitis