. FIRST MOLECULAR DETECTION OF LEISHMANIA INFANTUM IN SERGENTOMYIA MINUTA (DIPTERA, PSYCHODIDAE) IN ALENTEJO, SOUTHERN PORTUGAL

One Sergentomyia minuta female was positive for L. infantum infection and another for human blood as a meal source

Vector-borne and other pathogens of potential relevance disseminated by relocated cats

Large populations of unowned cats constitute an animal welfare, ecological, societal and public health issue worldwide. Their relocation and homing are currently carried out in many parts of the world with the intention of relieving suffering and social problems, while contributing to ethical and humane population control in these cat populations. An understanding of an individual cat’s lifestyle and disease status by veterinary team professionals and those working with cat charities can help to prevent severe cat stress and the spread of feline pathogens, especially vector-borne pathogens, which can be overlooked in cats. In this article, we discuss the issue of relocation and homing of unowned cats from a global perspective. We also review zoonotic and non-zoonotic infectious agents of cats and give a list of practical recommendations for veterinary team professionals dealing with homing cats. Finally, we present a consensus statement consolidated at the 15th Symposium of the Companion Vector-Borne Diseases (CVBD) World Forum in 2020, ultimately to help veterinary team professionals understand the problem and the role they have in helping to prevent and manage vector-borne and other pathogens in relocated cats

Zoonotische Nematoden-Infektionen des Hundes - Ausbreitung von Thelaziose und kutaner Dirofilariose

Die Liste praxisrelevanter, durch Vektoren übertragener Infektionskrankheiten des Hundes (CVBDs) wächst stetig. Ursachen sind die Ausbreitung von Vektoren und die Einschleppung von ­Erregern, poten­ziell begünstigt durch den Klimawandel, insbesondere aber durch die Haltergewohnheiten (Mitnahme des Hundes auf Reisen, Importe von „Tierschutzhunden”). Gerade bei zoonotisch bedeutsamen Krankheiten ist in der Praxis erhöhte Wachsamkeit geboten, um mit den gegebenen Optionen in Prophylaxe und Therapie dieser CVBDs eine Endemisierung zu verhindern. Die Liste möglicher Canine Vector-borne Diseases (CVBDs) bei Hunden in Deutschland ist durch erste autochthone Fälle der Thelaziose (hervorgerufen durch den ­Augenwurm Thelazia callipaeda) und der kaninen kutanen Dirofilariose (verursacht durch Dirofilaria repens) zu ergänzen. Das Verbreitungsgebiet des Augenwurms weitet sich offenbar zunehmend nach Norden aus, und Dirofilaria repens wird vermehrt durch „Tierschutzhunde” nach Deutschland importiert. Beide Helminthosen haben Zoonosepotenzial

Morphometric analyses of canine blood microfilariae isolated by the Knott's test enables Dirofilaria immitis and D. repens species-specific and Acanthocheilonema (syn. Dipetalonema) genus-specific diagnosis

BACKGROUND: Considering the increasing importance of small animals travel medicine and the spread of filariae with zoonotic potential to non-endemic European areas, routine filarial diagnosis in dogs is becoming important. Dirofilaria immitis, D. repens, Acanthocheilonema dracunculoides and A. reconditum are the most common canine filarial nematodes presenting blood circulating microfilariae (mf) which can be differentiated to species level by the acid phosphatase activity patterns or by PCR. Available data on the size of the mf vary considerably in the literature. The aim of this study was to validate morphometric criteria for filarial identification in blood samples of dogs after concentration of mf with the modified Knott's technique. METHODS: Morphometric analysis of 10 mf from samples identified to species level by acid phosphatase activity and partially confirmed by PCR were performed with specimens from 377 dogs. RESULTS: The mean length and width of D. immitis mf from 60 dogs were 301.77±6.29 μm and 6.30±0.26 μm, of D. repens mf from 171 dogs 369.44±10.76 μm 8.87±0.58 μm, of A. dracunculoides mf from 133 dogs 259.43±6.69 μm and 5.09±0.47 μm and of A. reconditum mf from 13 dogs 264.83±5.47 μm and 4.63±0.52 μm.For a subset of 30 samples, morphometric analysis was repeated with identical results in two laboratories. Furthermore, the size of mf concentrated and fixed by the Knott's technique was shown to be stable over 105 days. CONCLUSIONS: The Knott's test enables to clearly distinguish between D. immitis, D. repens and Acanthocheilonema spp. However, due to the overlapping size ranges of A. dracunculoides and A. reconditum, biochemical or molecular methods are required to distinguish these two species

Moegliche Auswirkungen von Klimaveraenderungen auf die Ausbreitung von primaer humanmedizinisch relevanten Krankheitserregern ueber tierische Vektoren sowie auf die wichtigen Humanparasiten in Deutschland

Available from TIB Hannover: RN 8908(2000,454) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEBundesministerium fuer Umwelt, Naturschutz und Reaktorsicherheit, Bonn (Germany)DEGerman