Dirofilaria hongkongensis - A first report of potential zoonotic dirofilariosis infection in dogs from Tamil Nadu.

Dirofilariosisis, is a mosquito borne anthropo-zoonotic disease caused by the filarial nematodes of the genus Dirofilaria. The current paper reports a species of Dirofilaria, which has not been recorded in Tamil Nadu, in addition to differentiating it from the existing species of Dirofilaria spp. through morphological and molecular techniques. Micrometry of the microfilaria detected by Knott's technique as well as in Giemsa stained blood smears revealed that the length was on an average 280 µm to 310 µm whereas the width was 5 to 8 µm. The microfilariae were unsheathed with blunt heads and tapering tails. For molecular confirmation, the blood sample was subjected to genomic DNA isolation. PCR amplification using specific primers for D. hongkongensis was carried out using thermal cycler with the isolated genomic DNA as template. Molecular analyses revealed the band size of about 230 bp which confirmed the presence of D. hongkongensis. Phylogenetic analysis was done using UPGMA and MLM method. Dirofilaria is recognized as a zoonotic entity throughout the world, and dirofilariasis should be considered an emerging zoonosis in southern India. The control of ubiquitous mosquito population is essential to prevent the transmission of microfilaria from animals to arthropods and from arthropods to humans.

Canine heartworm disease in a brazilian non-endemic area / Dirofilariose canina em uma aréa não endêmica brasileira / Dirofilariosis canina en una zona no endémica brasileña

Canine Heartworm Disease (CHD) is a mosquito-borne disease caused by Dirofilaria immitis. In this study, two mature adult-senior dogs from a non-endemic area to CHD presented clinical signs suggestive to the disease. The first one presented skin lesions, loss of appetite, weakness, pale mucosa membrane, and hyperthermia, whereas the second one presented severe ascites, anorexia and exercise intolerance, lateral decumbency, and marked heart murmurs. Both presented tachypnea, thrombocytopenia, leukocytosis, and microfilaremia. Multiplex-PCR (COI gene) resulted positive to D. immitis research in both cases, confirmed by sequencing, with 98% homology to D. immitis (Gen Bank accession n.AJ537512-1). In addition, both animals have never had any prophylactic treatment to CHD, and no reports about traveling to coastal areas. This study reported two unusual cases of D. immitis infection in non-endemic area from Brazil.

A dirofilariose canina (CHD) é uma doença transmitida por mosquitos e causada por Dirofilaria immitis. No presente estudo, dois cães de idade adulta a idoso de área não endêmica apresentaram sinais clínicos sugestivos da doença. O primeiro apresentou lesões de pele, perda de apetite, fraqueza, mucosas pálidas e hipertermia, enquanto o segundo apresentou severo quadro de ascite, anorexia e intolerância ao exercício, decúbito lateral, e murmúrios cardíacos acentuados. Ambos apresentaram taquipneia, trombocitopenia, leucocitose e microfilaremia. A pesquisa por D. immitis pela multiplex-PCR (COI gene) resultou positiva em ambos os casos, confirmada pelo sequenciamento, com 98% de homologia com D. immitis (Gen Bank n. AJ537512-1). Nenhum dos animais havia sido submetido a tratamento profilático para CHD e não havia relatos de viagens para regiões litorâneas. Assim, o presente estudo reporta dois casos raros de infecção por D. immitis em área brasileira não endêmica para a doença.

La dirofilariosis canina (CHD) es una enfermedad transmitida por mosquitos y causada por Dirofilaria immitis. En este estudio, dos perros de edad adulta a anciano, de área no endémica presentaron signos clínicos de la enfermedad. El primero presentó lesiones en la piel, pérdida del apetito, debilidad, palidez de mucosas e hipertermia, mientras el otro presentó severa ascitis, anorexia e intolerancia al ejercicio, decúbito lateral, y soplos cardíacos acentuados. Ambos presentaron taquipnea, trombocitopenia, leucocitosis y microfilaremia. La investigación de D. immitis por multiplex-PCR (gen COI) resultó positivo en ambos casos, confirmados por la técnica de secuenciación, con 98% de homología con D. immitis (Gen Bank n.AJ537512-1). Ninguno de los animales había sido sometido al tratamiento profiláctico para CHD, y sin relatos de viajes a regiones costeras. El presente estudio reporta dos casos raros de la infección por D. immitis en zona no endémica de Brasil.