Threat of exotic worms in dogs imported from Romania

Wright, I. P.; Collins, Marisol; McGarry, John; Soare, T.; Constantin, Stoian Andrei; Corfield, Emma Lesley; Harding, Isabella

doi:10.1136/vr.m4207

Cited by 10 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…A survey of various animals in Romania identified a number of specimens of Linguatula . There are a number of previous reports of L. serrata from animals in Romania (Gherman et al 2002 ; Negrea et al 2009 ; Ioniță and Mitrea 2016 ), including in dogs exported from Romania (Villedieu et al 2017 ; Wright et al 2020 ; Berberich et al 2022 ); however, there has been no combined morphological or molecular characterization of the specimens. Gjerde ( 2013 ) and (Berberich et al 2022 ) molecularly characterized specimens of L. serrata from a dog from Romania imported to Norway and Germany, respectively, but without morphological characterization.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterization of tongue worms, Linguatula spp. (Pentastomida) in Romania, with the first record of an unknown adult Linguatula from roe deer (Capreolus capreolus Linnaeus)

et al. 2022

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Specimens of the pentastomid parasite, Linguatula serrata, have been reported from several animals in Romania, including some domestic dogs translocated to other parts of Europe. In this study, gray wolves (Canis lupus, n = 80), golden jackals (C. aureus, n = 115), red foxes (Vulpes vulpes, n = 236), and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus, n = 1) were examined for pentastomes. Overall, 17.5% of wolves were found to be infected with specimens of Linguatula, with a range of infections of one to five individuals per animal. Golden jackals and foxes had much lower infection levels, with 1.73% of golden jackals and 1.69% of foxes infected; both host species were found to be infected with one or two individual pentastomes per animal. The single deer specimen was infected with three individual pentastomes. The pentastomes collected from the wolves and golden jackals were determined to be immature and mature adult specimens of L. serrata based on morphological examination and molecular analysis using the 18S rRNA gene. No pentastomes collected from the red foxes were available for identification. The pentastomes collected from the roe deer were expected to be L. arctica but determined to be mature adult male specimens of an unknown Linguatula, herein, referred to as Linguatula sp. based on its morphology; the results of molecular sequencing for the Linguatula specimen collected from the deer were inconclusive, preventing a final species identification. This study presents the first report of L. serrata in any hosts from Romania through both morphological and molecular characterization, and also presents the first report of a Linguatula sp. in Ca. capreolus, utilizing morphological characterization. Issues of morphological variability are discussed, including the presence of spines in the hook pit of specimens of Linguatula. This study highlights the need to examine all specimens of Linguatula to confirm the stage of development. Despite the inconclusive molecular result for some specimens, the authors still urge future researchers to incorporate a combined molecular and morphological approach in identifying specimens of Linguatula.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterization of tongue worms, Linguatula spp. (Pentastomida) in Romania, with the first record of an unknown adult Linguatula from roe deer (Capreolus capreolus Linnaeus)

et al. 2022

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“…and with them, novel parasites. Dogs infected with Diro laria repens [6,7], Hepatazoon canis[8], Leishmania infantum [9], Linguatula serrata [10], Thelazia callipeada [11] and Mesocestoides spp [12] have all been recorded in dogs imported into the UK from abroad with cases of Diro laria immitis and Ehrlichia canis in imported dogs also being reported to the European Scienti c Counsel for Companion Animal Parasites (ESCCAP) UK & Ireland [13]. The long incubation times associated with some infections and the wide range of possible clinical signs make recognition of infections and subsequent diagnosis di cult.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis of Exotic Parasitic Infection in a Large Group of Imported Dogs Following an Animal Welfare Investigation

Wright

Whitfield

Hanaghan

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Background: Increased dog relocation can cause dissemination of parasite and vector populations and this is being recognised in countries across Northern Europe, including the UK. Data regarding the prevalence of exotic infections entering the UK would be beneficial to vets to help assess pets entering the UK from abroad, and to help calculate risk of establishment of novel pathogens. One such group of dogs were seized as part of an RSPCA-led animal welfare investigation and blood tested for exotic pathogens. Methods: As part of the RSPCA investigation, 151 dogs were removed from the site. Blood tests were performed for Babesia. canis, Ehrlichia canis, Hepatozoon canis and Leishmania infantum by PCR, Br.canis by antibody serology and D.immitis by blood antigen. In addition to pathogen screening, a serology titre for Rabies was measured for each dog. A clinical examination was performed by a veterinary surgeon and clinical signs recorded. Clinical signs data were analysed by the Fisher-Freeman-Halton Exact TestResults: Overall, 24% of the dogs tested positive for an infection. Two dogs were positive for Br.canis antibodies and had no clinical signs indicative of infection. Leishmania infantum was identified in 10.5% of dogs with all but two cases being diagnosed in dogs whose microchip originated in Romania. Hepatozoon canis was identified in 9.6% of dogs, all of which had a Romanian microchip. Dirofilaria immitis was identified in 4.1% of dogs, B.canis in 2.3% of dogs and E.canis was only present in 1.5% of dogs tested. Only four dogs were found to have co-infections. No significant association was found between the pathogens detected and presenting clinical signs. Conclusions: This study demonstrates a range of exotic pathogens entering the UK including Br.canis and demonstrates the importance of screening imported dogs. The emphasis for early recognition of exotic pathogens in imported dogs has relied on screening based on relevant clinical signs and the country of origin. While these factors are useful, this study demonstrated no significant association between presenting clinical signs and the pathogens carried.

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“…Environmental changes, anthropic behaviour, and animal movements in Europe over the past 20 years have led to increased threats from a range of zoonotic viral, bacterial and protozoal vector-borne diseases [1]. During the same timeframe, there has been an emergence of conditions caused by various vectortransmitted nematodes, for which dogs and other carnivores act as reservoirs of zoonotic infection [2][3]. The movement of domestic dogs plays an important role in the epidemiology of these vector-borne diseases; the latter including, for example, mosquito-transmitted Diro laria spp.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The movement of domestic dogs plays an important role in the epidemiology of these vector-borne diseases; the latter including, for example, mosquito-transmitted Diro laria spp. [3]. The UK Animal and Plant Health Agency recorded approximately 45,000 imported dogs in 2019, and this gure includes an unknown number of former stray animals from European countries, whose numbers have increased yearon-year for the past seven years.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The UK Animal and Plant Health Agency recorded approximately 45,000 imported dogs in 2019, and this gure includes an unknown number of former stray animals from European countries, whose numbers have increased yearon-year for the past seven years. With a history of scavenging and exposure to biting disease vectors, these so-called 'Trojan dogs' can be harbingers of unfamiliar, pathogenic parasites including several types of vector-borne nematodes [3], for which treatment is not legally required before crossing borders.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Onchocerca lupi in imported dogs in the UK: implications for animal and public health

McGarry

Carrozza²,

Bradley³

et al. 2021

Preprint

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The zoonotic nematode Onchocerca lupi is reported in two dogs in the UK, re-homed from Europe. One dog developed an ocular nodule seven years after arrival from Spain, whereas the other dog, originally from Romania, developed recurring nodular lesions in both eyes. In this dog, parasitism was particularly invasive and resulted in unilateral enucleation. Increasingly, former stray dogs of unknown infection status are entering the UK, raising veterinary and medical concerns.

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Threat of exotic worms in dogs imported from Romania

Abstract: More and more dogs are legally entering the UK from overseas, bringing with them the risk of importing unusual parasites, some of which are zoonotic. Here, Ian Wright and colleagues describe three cases of parasitic worms found in Romanian dogs.

Cited by 10 publications

References 3 publications

Characterization of tongue worms, Linguatula spp. (Pentastomida) in Romania, with the first record of an unknown adult Linguatula from roe deer (Capreolus capreolus Linnaeus)

Characterization of tongue worms, Linguatula spp. (Pentastomida) in Romania, with the first record of an unknown adult Linguatula from roe deer (Capreolus capreolus Linnaeus)

Analysis of Exotic Parasitic Infection in a Large Group of Imported Dogs Following an Animal Welfare Investigation

Onchocerca lupi in imported dogs in the UK: implications for animal and public health

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