The presence of filarial parasites of dogs in Serrae Province

Abstract

Blood samples of 252 male and female dogs, aged between 7 months and 12 years, different races, and usefulness (utilities), which came from lowland and demi-highland and highland districts of Serrae province, of Macedonia-Greece. The purpose of this survey was to find out the infected dogs with filarial parasites. Ninety six (38,1%) out of the examined dogs were found to be infected with one or more parasitic species. The 86 (34,13%) dogs were infected with Dirofilaria immitis, the 84 (33,33%) dogs were infected with Dirofilaria repens and the 10 (3,97%) dogs were infected with Dipetalonema reconditum. Single infection, with Dirofilaria immitis was observed in 9, with Dirofilaria repens in 7, whereas, no single infection with Dipetalonema reconditum were observed. Mixed infection with Dirofilaria immitis + Dirafilaria repens were observed in 66, with Dirofilaria immitis + Dipetalonema reconditum were observed in 2, with Dirofilaria repens + Dipetalonema reconditum in 2 and finely, in 10 the combination with Dirofilaria immitis + Dirofilaria repens + Dipetalonema reconditum. The microfilarial burden per ml of the infected dogs fluctuated between 85 and 7.375. There were no any significant difference between the different group of dogs according sex, age, usefulness, longhair or shorthair as well as lowland and semi-highland districts, on the percentage of infected or microfilarial population of each.

Beyond Borders: Dirofilaria immitis Infection in Dogs Spreads to Previously Non-Enzootic Areas in Greece—A Serological Survey

“…In more detail, a study conducted between 1987 and 1991 in Macedonia identified microfilariae of D. immitis in 10% of the studied dogs [ 14 ]. In contrast, around ten years later, the prevalence rate in the same area was reported as high as 34.1% [ 15 ]. Overall, northern parts of Greece were considered enzootic for D. immitis since the end of the millennium [ 33 ].…”

“…However, according to the published data originating from different parts of Greece and to the veterinary perception, regions below Thessaly and Epirus and above the northern parts of Central Greece are considered the border between enzootic and non-enzootic areas [ 12 , 13 ]. In particular, epizootiological surveys have recorded prevalence rates ranging from 6.75% up to 68% for D. immitis infection in dogs living in the northern areas of Greece, i.e., Macedonia, Thrace, Epirus, and Thessaly [ 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ]. Concerning the regions of Greece that were regarded as non-enzootic (Central Greece, Attica, Peloponnese, North Aegean, South Aegean, Crete, and the Ionian islands), the recorded prevalence rates from studies up to 2022 ranged from 0% in Crete up to 10.9% in the Ionian islands [ 12 , 13 , 19 , 21 ].…”