Dataset Information

A case of inguinal hernia associated with atypical Dirofilaria repens infection in a dog.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Dirofilaria repens is a filarioid nematode transmitted by mosquitoes. Adult D. repens are typically localized in the subcutaneous tissue of the host, but other, atypical localizations have also been reported. There have been several reports of clinical cases involving an association of parasites and hernias in both animals and humans. However, it is unclear if parasitic infection can act as a triggering factor in the development of hernias.

Methods

A 12-year-old dog was referred to a private veterinarian clinic in Satu Mare, northwestern Romania due to the presence of a swelling in the lateral side of the penis (inguinal area). The dog underwent hernia repair surgery during which four long nematodes were detected in the peritoneal serosa of the inguinal hernial sac. One female specimen was subjected to genomic DNA extraction to confirm species identification, based on amplification and sequencing of a 670-bp fragment of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene. Treatment with a single dose of imidacloprid 10% + moxidectin 2.5% (Advocate, Bayer AG) was administered.

Results

The nematodes were morphologically identified as adult D. repens, and the BLAST analyses revealed a 100% nucleotide similarity to a D. repens sequence isolated from a human case in Czech Republic.

Conclusions

We report a case of an atypical localization of D. repens in the peritoneal cavity of a naturally infected pet dog with inguinal hernia and discuss the associations between hernia and parasitic infections.

SUBMITTER: Deak G

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7912512 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

A case of inguinal hernia associated with atypical Dirofilaria repens infection in a dog.

Deak Georgiana G Ionică Angela Monica AM Szasz Izabela I Taulescu Marian M Mihalca Andrei Daniel AD

Parasites & vectors 20210226 1

<h4>Background</h4>Dirofilaria repens is a filarioid nematode transmitted by mosquitoes. Adult D. repens are typically localized in the subcutaneous tissue of the host, but other, atypical localizations have also been reported. There have been several reports of clinical cases involving an association of parasites and hernias in both animals and humans. However, it is unclear if parasitic infection can act as a triggering factor in the development of hernias.<h4>Methods</h4>A 12-year-old dog was ...[more]

PMID: 33637128

Similar Datasets

Project description:Dirofilaria repens infection was diagnosed in a dog that had been imported to Norway from Hungary three years previously. The dog was a four-year-old castrated male mixed-breed dog and presented for examination of two masses on the right thoracic wall. Fine needle sampling from the subcutaneous nodules and subsequent cytological examination revealed a high number of microfilariae and a pyogranulomatous inflammation. At re-examination approximately 3 weeks later, both masses had apparently disappeared spontaneously, based on both inspection and palpation. However, examination of peripheral blood by a modified Knott's test revealed a high number of unsheathed microfilariae with mean length of 360 ?m and mean width of 6-7 ?m, often with the classic umbrella handle appearance of D. repens. Polymerase chain reaction and sequencing confirmed the D. repens diagnosis. Subcutaneous dirofilariosis caused by D. repens is probably the most common cause of human zoonotic dirofilariosis in Europe, but currently is rarely encountered in northern countries such as Norway. However, travelling, import and relocation of dogs have increased, and thus the geographical range of these parasites is likely to increase from traditionally endemic southern regions. Increasing numbers of autochthonous cases of D. repens infections in dogs have been reported in eastern and central Europe. Although infection with D. repens often induces only mild signs or subclinical infections in dogs, they nevertheless represent a reservoir for zoonotic transmission and thus a public health concern, and, in addition, due to the long prepatent period and the high frequency of subclinical infections or infections with unspecific clinical signs, could easily be missed. Lack of experience and expectation of these parasites may mean that infection is underdiagnosed in veterinary clinics in northern countries. Also, predicted climate changes suggest that conditions in some countries where this infection is currently not endemic are likely to become more suitable for development in the intermediate host, and thus the establishment of the infection in new areas.

Dataset Information

A case of inguinal hernia associated with atypical Dirofilaria repens infection in a dog.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

A case of inguinal hernia associated with atypical Dirofilaria repens infection in a dog.

Similar Datasets

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