Prevalence of Dirofilaria immitis in dogs from Barcelona: Validation of a geospatial prediction model
Abstract
Like other vector borne infections, the distribution of dirofilariosis caused by Dirofilaria immitis is influenced by climatic factors, which regulate the diversity and abundance of mosquito species able to transmit the parasite. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) can predict the distribution and epidemiological behavior of dirofilariosis based on temperature and humidity data. This study analyses the prevalence and current distribution of canine dirofilariosis in the province of Barcelona (Northeastern Spain), and uses a GIS model to evaluate the relationship between the spatial distribution of positive cases and different geo-environmental factors. Canine dirofilariosis is present in all the studied regions but unevenly distributed. The general prevalence is 2.4%, being located most of positive dogs in areas where the model predict both high number of annual generations of D. immitis in vectors and humidity, as a consequence of the presence of irrigated crops or the proximity to the sea. Furthermore, in the urban area of Barcelona, infected dogs were located in districts surrounded or close to parks and green areas. The model can be used as a tool to determine the need of implementation of prophylactic protocols in pets living in municipalities from these regions, based on the geo-environmental characteristics of the area.
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In the last 15 years, a slight increase in heartworm can be confirmed in most autonomous communities, with decreasing prevalences or similar values only in Aragon, Catalonia, Valencian Community, Madrid and Castilla y León.
“in the last 15 years a slight increase in heartworm can be confirmed in most of the autonomous communities, with decreasing prevalences or with similar values only in Aragon, Catalonia, Valencian Community, Madrid and Castilla y León.”
From Expansion of canine heartworm in Spain (2022) · cites this paper as [11]
Dogs living indoors showed significantly lower prevalences because they are less exposed to vector mosquitoes.
“Regarding habitat, dogs living indoors showed significantly lower prevalences, as shown in other similar studies [8,9,11,12,13,19]. As has been pointed out in previous studies, animals that live indoors are less exposed to the presence of vector mosquitoes and, thus, prevalences are lower.”
From Expansion of canine heartworm in Spain (2022) · cites this paper as [11]
In the province of Barcelona, average canine heartworm prevalence was 2.4%, higher in Baix Llobregat (11.1 to 33.3%).
“In the province of Barcelona, the average prevalence was 2.4%, being higher in municipalities belonging to the Baix Llobregat area, (11.1 to 33.3%), which has the highest risk of infection in the whole province [21].”
From What has happened to heartworm disease in Europe in the last 10 years? (2022) · cites this paper as [21]
In cats, seroprevalence values of 11.4% and 18.1% were detected in Barcelona and the Canary Islands, respectively.
“In cats, seroprevalence values of 11.4% and 18.1% were detected in Barcelona and the Canary Islands, respectively ( Montoya-Alonso et al., 2014 and Montoya-Alonso et al., 2015).”
From Culex pipiens as a potential vector for transmission of Dirofilaria immitis and other unclassified Filarioidea in Southwest Spain (2016) · cites this paper as Montoya-Alonso et al., 2015
Mongrel dogs showed higher but not significantly different D. immitis prevalences (4.2%) compared with pure-breed dogs (2.6%).
“By breed, mongrel dogs showed higher but not significantly different prevalences (4.2%) when compared with pure-breed dogs (2.6%) (χ 2 = 2.902, df = 1, P = 0.088).”
From Prevalence of heartworm in dogs and cats of Madrid, Spain (2017) · cites this paper as [21]
Dogs living in urban areas are not safe from heartworm infection.
“Dogs living in urban areas are not safe from heartworm infection and should receive adequate prophylaxis with macrocyclic lactones, as concluded in a similar study in Barcelona [21].”
From Prevalence of heartworm in dogs and cats of Madrid, Spain (2017) · cites this paper as [21]
The relationship between prediction and actual prevalence of Dirofilaria has already been confirmed in several studies.
“The relationship between prediction and actual prevalence of Dirofilaria has already been confirmed in several studies [32, 40, 41].”
From Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens in mosquitoes from Corsica Island, France (2021) · cites this paper as [40]
The prevalences obtained for dirofilariosis in this study maintain similar values with respect to areas evaluated in the last 5-6 years, such as Barcelona, Madrid, Salamanca, or the Canary Islands.
“the prevalences obtained in this study maintain similar values with respect to the areas that had been evaluated in the last 5–6 years, such as Barcelona, Madrid, Salamanca, or the Canary Islands”
From Current Distribution of Selected Vector-Borne Diseases in Dogs in Spain (2020) · cites this paper as [7]
Other epidemiological studies found no significant gender differences in Dirofilaria infections, while others did.
“although other epidemiological studies found no significant differences (9, 14, 34), these differences were also observed in others (7, 8, 70).”
From Current Distribution of Selected Vector-Borne Diseases in Dogs in Spain (2020) · cites this paper as [7]
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Self-citation
- Authors
- Montoya-Alonso, J. A., Carretón, E., Simón, L., González-Miguel, J., García-Guasch, L., Morchón, R., & Simón, F.
- Affiliations
- Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ES)
- Universidad de Salamanca (ES)
- Corresponding author
- Carretón, Elena
- ORCID
- Venue
- Veterinary Parasitology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2015-09
- Volume
- 212
- Issue
- 3-4
- Pages
- 456-459
- ISSN
- 0304-4017 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2235381943
- Semantic Scholar
- da7e893f960e4a9e219459b404a45ec9ac981fb5
- Cited by
- 34
- References
- 16
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 6
- FWCI
- 3.37
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Veterinary Parasitology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Acceda (Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Elanco Animal Health
- 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
- Dirofilaria immitis, canine dirofilariasis, prevalence, geographic information systems, mosquito vectors, temperature and humidity, irrigated crops, urban green space, Barcelona province, prophylaxis
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Dirofilaria immitis, Dirofilariasis, Dog Diseases, Dogs, Female, Male, Models, Biological, Spain, Prevalence, Geographic Information Systems
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