“Old hosts die hard”: the return of the grey wolf (Canis lupus) and the re-emerging threat of cardiopulmonary dirofilariosis in northern Italy
Open accessAbstract
Over the past decades, the grey wolf (Canis lupus) has expanded its range across Italy, reclaiming historical habitats, including anthropized landscapes. This resurgence raises concerns regarding its potential role in maintaining and spreading pathogens. In this study, we focused on Dirofilaria immitis, the causative agent of canine heartworm disease, investigating its prevalence in wolves and exploring the environmental factors influencing infection risk. A total of 488 wolf carcasses collected from northern and central Italy between 2021 and 2024 were analysed. Morphological identification of adult nematodes was conducted using light and scanning electron microscopy, while molecular analyses of mitochondrial COI and 12S rRNA genes were performed to assess genetic variation. Spatial modelling was applied to evaluate infection risk based on environmental factors. D. immitis was detected in 3.5% of the sampled wolves, with prevalence varying among regions, reaching 5.2% in Emilia-Romagna. Microfilariae were identified in two cases, confirming the wolves' potential role as competent hosts. Phylogenetic analysis revealed no significant genetic divergence between D. immitis from wolves and those previously recorded in dogs and other hosts. Spatial analysis indicated that infection risk was highest in low-altitude areas of the Po Valley, a historically endemic region for dirofilariosis. These findings suggest that the expanding wolf population may serve as a competent host for D. immitis, potentially influencing local epidemiology and complicating control efforts in domestic dogs. Continued surveillance is necessary to assess the impact of wildlife reservoirs on heartworm transmission and public health.
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The results are consistent with previous studies reporting no clear breed or sex pre-disposition beyond differences attributable to management practices, such as those observed between hunting or working dogs and companion animals.
“Regarding intrinsic host factors, the results are consistent with previous studies reporting no clear breed or sex pre-disposition beyond differences attributable to management practices, such as those observed between hunting or working dogs and companion animals (4, 5, 10, 12, 26–29).”
From Deciphering the socio-environmental factors associated with realized heartworm transmission risk in dogs from Portugal and Spain (2026) · cites this paper as [28]
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Morchón, R., Balmori-de la Puente, A., Infante González-Mohino, E., Esteves-Guimarães, J., Busquets, P., Fontes-Sousa, A. P., Carretón, E., & Montoya-Alonso, J. A. (2026) · Frontiers in Veterinary Science · doi:10.3389/fvets.2026.1812406 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
- Authors
- Dini, F. M., Musto, C., Brogi, R., Moroni, B., Fiorentini, L., Bassi, P., Bianchi, A., Pupillo, G., Tedesco, P., Donato, A. D., Perulli, S., Robetto, S., Apollonio, M., Gobbi, M., Delogu, M., & Galuppi, R.
- Affiliations
- University of Bologna (IT)
- University of Sassari (IT)
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte Liguria e Valle d'Aosta (IT)
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna "Bruno Ubertini" (IT)
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Umbria e delle Marche (IT)
- Corresponding author
- Dini, Filippo M.
- ORCID
- Venue
- International Journal for Parasitology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2026-01
- Volume
- 56
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 104704
- ISSN
- 0020-7519 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W4411405442
- Cited by
- 2
- References
- 47
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2
- FWCI
- 1.53
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- International Journal for Parasitology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Archivio istituzionale della ricerca (Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- UnissResearch (Università degli Studi di Sassari) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Vienna Science and Technology Fund
- Alaska State Library
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › Parasitic Diseases Research and Treatment
- Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Helminth infection and control
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Research on Leishmaniasis Studies
- Keywords
- grey wolf, wolf, Dirofilaria immitis, canine heartworm disease, wildlife reservoirs, zoonotic transmission, infection prevalence, nematode phylogeny, Po Valley, Northern Italy
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Dirofilaria immitis, Dirofilariasis, Dogs, Female, Italy, Male, Phylogeny, Genetic Variation, Prevalence, Wolves
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