title: Dirofilaria repens in the Russian Federation: current epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment from a federal reference center perspective.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dirofilariasis is an emerging zoonotic infection in which the human serves as an accidental host. Russia has been one of the most important endemic regions worldwide for Dirofilaria repens, the most prevalent Dirofilaria species in Europe.
  
  
  METHODS
  Based on a cohort of patients at the Rostov Medical University, we provide an epidemiological description of 236 human cases, reporting common clinical symptoms and treatment options for D. repens infections in humans. The performance of a non-commercial immunoassay was validated in a diagnostic sub-study (diagnostic accuracy 83%). Data from mosquito surveys and cross-sectional surveys of dogs, the main reservoir of D. repens, are also presented.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results showed important variations in prevalence depending on sex, geographic location, and the use of dogs (professional service dogs or pets).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The particularly high prevalence of Dirofilaria infection in professional dogs used in the police force and armed forces poses a particular problem, since these dogs may serve as epidemiologically important amplifiers within the region of the former Soviet Union.
authors.affiliation: Rostov Scientific Research Institute of Microbiology and Parasitology, Rostov-on-Don, Russia.
authors.forename: Larisa Alexandrovna
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Ermakova
authors.affiliation: Rostov Scientific Research Institute of Microbiology and Parasitology, Rostov-on-Don, Russia.
authors.forename: Sergey Andreevich
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Nagorny
authors.affiliation: Rostov Scientific Research Institute of Microbiology and Parasitology, Rostov-on-Don, Russia.
authors.forename: Elena Yurievna
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Krivorotova
authors.affiliation: Rostov State Medical University, Rostov-on-Don, Russia. Electronic address: natalia-pshenichnaya@yandex.ru.
authors.forename: Natalia Yurievna
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Pshenichnaya
authors.affiliation: Center of Hygiene and Epidemiology of the Novgorod Region, Veliky Novgorod, Russia.
authors.forename: Olga Nikolaevna
authors.initials: ON
authors.lastname: Matina
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D009033:Culicidae / Q000469:parasitology; D060348:Dirofilaria repens / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004184:Dirofilariasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D004199:Disease Vectors; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012426:Russia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Diagnosis; Dirofilaria repens; Epidemiology; Treatment