Naslov
Canine dirofilariosis in Croatia: Let’ s face it

Autori
Živičnjak, Tatjana ; Martinković, Franjo ; Beck, Relja

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, sažetak, znanstveni

Izvornik
First European Dirofilaria Days- abstract book / - Zagreb, 2007, 35-35

Skup
First European Dirofilaria Days- FEDD 2007

Mjesto i datum
Zagreb, Hrvatska, 22.02.2007. - 25.02.2007

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Predavanje

Vrsta recenzije
Međunarodna recenzija

Ključne riječi
Dirofilaria repens; D. immitis; dogs; distribution

Sažetak
There is limited information regarding the prevalence of Dirofilaria genus members and its pathogenic significance in dogs in Croatia. The knowledge of the incidence of the infection in dogs is essential since dirofilariosis, mainly due to D. immitis, constitutes the serious parasitic problem in some parts of the world, and is a zoonosis. Our intention was to investigate incidence of microfilaremia among adult dogs randomly picked all over Croatia in urban and rural environment, and incidence of pruritus in the dogs harbouring Dirofilaria repens microfilariae. Survey was performed during 2006 among 700 adult dogs, and for the each dog anamnestic data on age, presence of the pruritus and/or dermatitis were recorded. Diagnostic methods performed were the modified Knott’ s test for microfilariae detection, morfometric analyses and PCR on isolated microfilariae and detection of D. immitis circulating antigen. According to the recent monitoring results, we can conclude that although microfilariae burden in dogs is quite common throughout Croatia (average 15, 5 %), the microfilariae of Dirofilaria genus had been generally detected fortuitously in clinically healthy dogs. Moreover, Dirofilaria immitis infection, has been detected only on Istrian Penninsula, and a few cases in and around of the city of Dubrovnik. Currently D. immitis does not perform peculiar canine health problem, as in some parts of Italy for example, but constitutes considerable human and canine potential health risk. D. repens is more widely distributed, very rarely causing pruritus, but its microfilariae could be confused for D. immitis, and also has a zoonotic potential.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Veterinarska medicina

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