Mustafa Alsarraf, Dorota Dwużnik-Szarek, Joanna Hildebrand, Ewa Julia Mierzejewska, Agnieszka Kloch, Kamila Kot, Korneliusz Kurek, Sabina Nowak, Robert W Mysłajek, Izabella Myśliwy, Marcin Popiołek, Anna Rodo, Mohammed Alsarraf, Katarzyna Tołkacz, Mariia Topolnytska, Dagmara Wężyk, Anna Bajer
Dirofilaria repens is an expanding vector-borne zoonotic parasite of canines and other carnivores. Sub-clinically infected dogs constitute the most important reservoir of the parasite and the source of infection for its mosquito vectors. However, occurrence of D. repens infection in wild animals may contribute to the transmission of the parasite to humans and may explain the endemicity of filariae in newly invaded regions. The aim of the current study was to determine the occurrence of D. repens in 511 blood and spleen samples from seven species of wild carnivores (wolves, red foxes, Eurasian badgers, raccoons, raccoon dogs, stone martens, and pine martens) from different regions of Poland by means of a PCR protocol targeting the 12S rDNA gene...
March 20, 2023: Parasitology Research