The spread of dirofilariosis, as a newly emerging zoonosis, due to global changes has been documented in several Central European countries. In Slovakia, the first autochthonous case of dirofilariosis was recorded in dogs in 2005. The first case of human subcutaneous dirofilariosis caused by Dirofilaria repens was diagnosed in a 60- year-old patient from an area of western Slovakia. We report a...

Dirofilariosis is a parasitic disease caused by helminths of the genus Dirofilaria. Climatic changes are considered to be main risk factors for dirofilariosis spreading. In the Slovak Republic, canine subcutaneous dirofilariosis was recorded for the first time in 2005. In 2007 the first coordinated research project started to detect possible endemic infections and to determine their magnitude. ...

Two recombinant antigens (P22U and PLA2), cloned in a L4 Dirofilaria immitis cDNA library, were analyzed by Western-blot and ELISA to investigate their characteristics for the diagnosis of human dirofilariosis. P22U seems related to a Di22 native antigen useful for the diagnosis of pulmonary dirofilariosis, but it is unspecifically recognized by sera from patients with different parasitic and n...

OBJECTIVE To characterize structural changes in pulmonary vessels of dogs with dirofilariosis. ANIMALS 8 dogs with dirofilariosis and 2 unaffected control dogs. PROCEDURE Pulmonary artery pressure was measured in affected dogs, and dogs then were euthanatized. Scanning electron microscopy was used to examine vascular corrosion casts of pulmonary vasculature. Tissue sections of pulmonary vas...

The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence of canine dirofilariosis in Hatay province, south of Turkey. A total of 269 blood samples were collected from owned dogs in this multi-centre survey between March and July 2006. Blood samples were examined by modified Knott and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) techniques to detect circulating microfilariae and antigens of Diro...

Zoonoses are infectious diseases of animals that can be transmitted to humans. Human dirofilariosis (caused by Dirofilaria repens and Dirofilaria immitis) are among the helminthic zoonoses most frequently diagnosed in Europe. Indeed, human infections with Dirofilaria parasites are diagnosed with increasing frequency in many European countries and are currently included in the socalled emerging ...

The aim of the present study was to collect data from Eastern Slovak Lowland, southern Slovakia, to assess risk of the spread of canine dirofilariosis. Climate and environmental conditions in the Eastern Slovak Lowland are ideally suitable for the occurrence of vector-borne diseases. In the past, an endemic locality of dangerous mosquito transmitted malaria was found in this area. Today, anothe...

Epidemiological data on canine and human dirofilariosis in the Rostov Region (Southern Russia) are presented. Prevalence of Dirofilaria spp. infections in 795 autochthonous dogs, assessed by the Knott test, was 20.25%. The highest prevalence was found in Novocherkassk (38.3%) and Rostov-on-Don (18.5%), while prevalences were lower in other points of the region. Prevalence of D. repens was 44.7%...

BACKGROUND In Italy, Angiostrongylus vasorum, an emergent parasite, is being diagnosed in dogs from areas considered free of infection so far. As clinical signs are multiple and common to other diseases, its diagnosis can be challenging. In particular, in areas where angiostrongylosis and dirofilariosis overlap, a misleading diagnosis of cardiopulmonary dirofilariosis might occur even on the ba...