Detection of Wolbachia in Dirofilaria infected dogs in Portugal
Abstract
Wolbachia pipiens, an intracellular endosymbiont bacteria of filarial nematodes, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of filarial diseases, in particular in heavy Dirofilaria spp. infections. Antibiotic therapy (doxycycline) against Wolbachia has been proven to be suitable adjunct therapy, prior to adulticide treatment of canine dirofilariosis. Despite its importance, investigation on the Wolbachia/Dirofilaria complex in Portugal had not been undertaken so far. This study reports the first detection of Wolbachia in Dirofilaria spp. infected dogs in the context of an ongoing epidemiological survey in central-south regions in the country. Wolbachia DNA was detected by PCR in 52.6% (20/38) of canine blood samples positive for Dirofilaria immitis based on parasitological (Knott's and Acid Phosphatase) and serological (Witness(®)Dirofilaria) methods. No Wolbachia DNA could be detected in samples from dogs with occult infections (parasite negative but antigen positive). The lack of Wolbachia detection in some microfilaremic dogs was somewhat unexpected and needs to be elucidated in further studies, as the presence or absence of these bacteria in association with microfilaria is of importance for veterinarians in the management and control of canine dirofilariosis.
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In central coastal regions of Portugal, canine heartworm prevalence has been reported at 15.1%, while in the central region it ranged from 8.8 to 27.3%.
“Other studies have reported prevalence of 15.1% in the central coastal regions of Portugal, while in the central region, prevalence ranged from 8.8 to 27.3% [12,13,14]”
From What has happened to heartworm disease in Europe in the last 10 years? (2022) · cites this paper as [14]
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Laidoudi, Y., Davoust, B., Varloud, M., Niang, E. H. A., Fenollar, F., & Mediannikov, O. (2020) · Parasites & Vectors · doi:10.1186/s13071-020-04185-0 · Cited by 74 · see citing works
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- Authors
- Landum, M., Ferreira, C. C., Calado, M., Alho, A. M., Maurício, I. L., Meireles, J. S., Carvalho, L. M. D., Cunha, C., & Belo, S.
- Affiliations
- Universidade Nova de Lisboa (PT)
- Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal (PT)
- Corresponding author
- Belo, Silvana
- ORCID
- Venue
- Veterinary Parasitology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2014-08
- Volume
- 204
- Issue
- 3-4
- Pages
- 407-410
- ISSN
- 0304-4017 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2011785098
- Cited by
- 16
- References
- 16
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 2 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 3 · 2016: 3
- FWCI
- 0.70
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Veterinary Parasitology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (PTDC/SAU-SAP/113523/2009)
- 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
- Wolbachia, Dirofilaria immitis, canine dirofilariasis, filarial nematodes, doxycycline treatment, microfilaremia, occult infection, Portugal
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Anti-Bacterial Agents, Dirofilaria immitis, Dirofilariasis, Dog Diseases, Dogs, Doxycycline, Female, Male, Microfilariae, Portugal, Wolbachia
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