Autochthonous Dirofilaria immitis infection in a ferret with aberrant larval migration in Europe
Abstract
A two‐year‐old male ferret (Mustela putorius furo) was presented to the Faculty of Veterinary Science, Szent István University, for investigation of somnolence. Following unsuccessful therapeutic attempts, the ferret was euthanased and a male Dirofilaria immitis worm was found in the pulmonary artery and a female D. immitis specimen in the subdural space of the cranial cavity. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first European record of D. immitis infection in a ferret, and the first case in which aberrant larval migration and consequent central nervous system signs were observed in a ferret in the course of D. immitis infection.
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Several other mammalian species diagnosed with an infection were held in zoos or as pets, allowing diagnosis.
“Similarly, several other mammalian species diagnosed with an infection were held in zoos or as pets, allowing diagnosis [47–50].”
From Vectors, host range, and spatial distribution of Dirofilaria immitis and D. repens in Europe: a systematic review (2025) · cites this paper as [49]
Since that time, examinations of dogs, red foxes, golden jackals, and one ferret revealed that D. immitis is endemic in Hungary, and the Great Hungarian Plain is hyperendemic.
“Since that time, the examinations of dogs [120,125,126,127,128], red foxes, golden jackals (Canis aureus) [129], and one ferret (Mustela furo) [130] revealed that D. immitis is endemic in the country, and the Great Hungarian Plain is hyperendemic”
From Dirofilaria spp. and Angiostrongylus vasorum: current risk of spreading in Central and Northern Europe. (2021) · cites this paper as [130]
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- Authors
- Molnár, V., Pazár, P., Rigó, D., Máthé, D., Fok, É., Glávits, R., Vajdovich, P., Jacsó, O., Balogh, L., & Sós, E.
- Affiliations
- Magyar Agrár- és Élettudományi Egyetem (HU)
- Frédéric Joliot-Curie National Research Institute for Radiobiology and Radiohygiene (HU)
- Venue
- Journal of Small Animal Practice
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2010-07
- Volume
- 51
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 393-396
- ISSN
- 0022-4510 (ISSN-L)
- 1748-5827
- OpenAlex
- W2040385146
- Cited by
- 16
- References
- 11
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2016: 2 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 2
- FWCI
- 0.62
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Small Animal Practice (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › Parasitic Diseases Research and Treatment
- Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Helminth infection and control
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Parasitic infections in humans and animals
- Keywords
- Dirofilaria immitis, ferrets, autochthonous infection, subdural space, pulmonary artery, central nervous system manifestations, sleepiness, first European record, canine heartworm disease
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Dirofilaria immitis, Dirofilariasis, Europe, Female, Ferrets, Larva, Male, Fatal Outcome
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