<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<sec id="j_jvetres-2022-0008_s_005">
<h3>Introduction</h3>
<p>The prevalence of <italic>Dirofilaria repens</italic> in dogs in countries bordering Slovenia ranges from 1.5% to 47.3%. The aim of this study was to estimate its prevalence in Slovenian dogs and to present the cases of dirofilariasis diagnosed in humans from 2010 to 2020.</p>
</sec>
<sec id="j_jvetres-2022-0008_s_006">
<h3>Material and Methods</h3>
<p>Epidemiological data were collected and blood samples were taken from 465 dogs older than one year and born in Slovenia. A real-time PCR was performed on all samples to detect filarioid DNA, and a <italic>D. repens</italic>-and <italic>D. immitis</italic>-specific real-time PCR was performed on positive samples. Blood samples from 446 dogs were tested for <italic>Dirofilaria</italic> spp. using a modified Knott’s test. Human cases were diagnosed from histological sections of excised subcutaneous nodules. Descriptive statistics were used to characterise the samples. The one-sample nonparametric chi-squared test was used to assess whether categories of a variable were equally distributed.</p>
</sec>
<sec id="j_jvetres-2022-0008_s_007">
<h3>Results</h3>
<p>Three dogs’ samples tested positive for <italic>D. repens</italic> using the species-specific real-time PCR, while <italic>D. immitis</italic> DNA was not detected. The modified Knott’s test was positive in two of the three PCR-positive dogs, two of which had never travelled outside Slovenia’s borders. Four human patients with <italic>D. repens</italic> dirofilariasis were diagnosed. Since their travel history was unknown, autochthonous transmission could not be confirmed.</p>
</sec>
<sec id="j_jvetres-2022-0008_s_008">
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Our study demonstrated a 0.64% prevalence of <italic>D. repens</italic> infection in dogs in Slovenia. Two cases could be autochthonous.</p>
</sec>
</abstract>

Introduction
The prevalence of Dirofilaria repens in dogs in countries bordering Slovenia ranges from 1.5% to 47.3%. The aim of this study was to estimate its prevalence in Slovenian dogs and to present the cases of dirofilariasis diagnosed in humans from 2010 to 2020.


Material and Methods
Epidemiological data were collected and blood samples were taken from 465 dogs older than one year and born in Slovenia. A real-time PCR was performed on all samples to detect filarioid DNA, and a D. repens-and D. immitis-specific real-time PCR was performed on positive samples. Blood samples from 446 dogs were tested for Dirofilaria spp. using a modified Knott’s test. Human cases were diagnosed from histological sections of excised subcutaneous nodules. Descriptive statistics were used to characterise the samples. The one-sample nonparametric chi-squared test was used to assess whether categories of a variable were equally distributed.


Results
Three dogs’ samples tested positive for D. repens using the species-specific real-time PCR, while D. immitis DNA was not detected. The modified Knott’s test was positive in two of the three PCR-positive dogs, two of which had never travelled outside Slovenia’s borders. Four human patients with D. repens dirofilariasis were diagnosed. Since their travel history was unknown, autochthonous transmission could not be confirmed.


Conclusion
Our study demonstrated a 0.64% prevalence of D. repens infection in dogs in Slovenia. Two cases could be autochthonous.

<italic>Dirofilaria repens</italic> in dogs and humans in Slovenia

Journal of Veterinary Research

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

{"article-title":{"italic":"Dirofilaria repens","content":"in dogs and humans in Slovenia"}}

Introduction
The prevalence of Dirofilaria repens in dogs in countries bordering Slovenia ranges from 1.5% to 47.3%. The aim of this study was to estimate its...

Case	Gender	Age (years)	Region	Year of established diagnosis	Site of infection	Isolate	Species identified
1	Female	20	Central Slovenia (Ljubljana)	2010	N/A	Subcut. nodule	D. repens
2	Female	45	North (Mura East river Slovenia region)	2013	Breast	Subcut. nodule	D. repens
3	Male	49	North (Mura East river Slovenia region)	2014	Right upper arm	Subcut. nodule	D. repens
4	Male	63	North (Drava East river Slovenia region)	2017	Scalp	Subcut. nodule	D. repens

Dog number	Gender	Age (years)	Breed	History of travelling	Ownership (Region)	Knott’s test	Dirofilaria species by real-time PCR
76	male	12	mixed	none	private (Mura river region)	positive	D. repens
389	male	2	GSP	DE	State police (Ljubljana)	negative	D. repens
390	female	1	GSP	none	State police (Ljubljana)	positive	D. repens

Dirofilaria repens in dogs and humans in Slovenia

Pubblicato online: 01 mar 2022

Pagine: 117 - 123

Ricevuto: 07 lug 2021

Accettato: 02 feb 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jvetres-2022-0008

Parole chiave
dirofilariasis, prevalence, dogs, humans

© 2022 T. Kotnik et al. published by Sciendo

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

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Demographic and clinical data of the human cases described in this study

Dogs that tested positive in at least one assay

Dirofilaria repens in dogs and humans in Slovenia

Pubblicato online: 01 mar 2022

Pagine: 117 - 123

Ricevuto: 07 lug 2021

Accettato: 02 feb 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jvetres-2022-0008

Parole chiavedirofilariasis, prevalence, dogs, humans

© 2022 T. Kotnik et al. published by Sciendo

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

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Demographic and clinical data of the human cases described in this study

Dogs that tested positive in at least one assay

Parole chiave
dirofilariasis, prevalence, dogs, humans