<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p><italic>Dirofilaria immitis</italic> (canine heartworm) is a filarial nematode found in the pulmonary circulation and the heart of susceptible hosts. It represents an important zoonotic vector-borne disease of domestic dogs and several wildlife species. Herein we report for the first time, the finding of <italic>Dirofilaria immitis</italic> worms in a brown bear killed in a vehicle collision in Northern Greece. The worms were morphologically identified; molecular examination, based on the analysis of the mitochondrial genes 12S (433 bp) and CO1 (610 bp), verified the identification by demonstrating 100% similarity to <italic>D. immitis</italic> specimens deposited in GenBank. Brown bears in Greece occupy habitats that are shared with the potential wild and domestic hosts and the vectors of <italic>D. immitis</italic> and thus may be particularly susceptible to this parasite. This report contributes to the knowledge of dirofilariosis spread in Europe and on the epidemiological threats that may affect the survival of the endangered brown bear in Greece.</p></abstract>

Dirofilaria immitis (canine heartworm) is a filarial nematode found in the pulmonary circulation and the heart of susceptible hosts. It represents an important zoonotic vector-borne disease of domestic dogs and several wildlife species. Herein we report for the first time, the finding of Dirofilaria immitis worms in a brown bear killed in a vehicle collision in Northern Greece. The worms were morphologically identified; molecular examination, based on the analysis of the mitochondrial genes 12S (433 bp) and CO1 (610 bp), verified the identification by demonstrating 100% similarity to D. immitis specimens deposited in GenBank. Brown bears in Greece occupy habitats that are shared with the potential wild and domestic hosts and the vectors of D. immitis and thus may be particularly susceptible to this parasite. This report contributes to the knowledge of dirofilariosis spread in Europe and on the epidemiological threats that may affect the survival of the endangered brown bear in Greece.

Detection of <italic>Dirofilaria immitis</italic> in a brown bear (<italic>Ursus arctos</italic>) in Greece

Civil Society for the Protection and Management of Wildlife and the Natural Environment

Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management

Helminthologia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Detection of  in a brown bear () in Greece

Dirofilaria immitis (canine heartworm) is a filarial nematode found in the pulmonary circulation and the heart of susceptible hosts. It represents an important...

Detection of Dirofilaria immitis in a brown bear (Ursus arctos) in Greece

Pubblicato online: 02 ago 2017

Pagine: 257 - 261

Ricevuto: 20 feb 2017

Accettato: 06 giu 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/helm-2017-0033

Parole chiave
brown bear, conservation threats, epidemiology, heartworm

© 2017 E. Papadopoulos et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Detection of Dirofilaria immitis in a brown bear (Ursus arctos) in Greece

Pubblicato online: 02 ago 2017

Pagine: 257 - 261

Ricevuto: 20 feb 2017

Accettato: 06 giu 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/helm-2017-0033

Parole chiavebrown bear, conservation threats, epidemiology, heartworm

© 2017 E. Papadopoulos et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Parole chiave
brown bear, conservation threats, epidemiology, heartworm