title: Dirofilaria immitis: an emerging parasite in dogs, red foxes and golden jackals in Hungary.
abstract: Hungary was not considered to be a heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) endemic country until 2007, when the first autochthonous canine infection was described. Herein we report additional autochthonous heartworm infections in two dogs (Canis familiaris), twenty red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) (n=534; prevalence: 3.7%; 95% CI=2.4-5.7%) and two golden jackals (Canis aureus) (n=27; prevalence: 7.4%; 95% CI=2.1-23.4%) coming from eight counties. The identification of the parasite was based on morphology, morphometrics and amplification of 12S rDNA followed by sequencing in all cases. Our results indicate that Hungary became a D. immitis endemic country in the past decade. The prevalence and intensity of heartworm infection in wild canids is similar to or lower than that observed in the Mediterranean countries of Europe (3.7-7.4% vs. 0.4-12.7% and 1.5 vs. 2.9-4.4 worms/animal). These findings are in line with the results of the recently developed climate based forecast model to predict the establishment of D. immitis in Hungary.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Parasitology, Fish and Bee Diseases, Veterinary Diagnostic Directorate, National Food Chain Safety Office, Tábornok utca 2, Budapest H-1143, Hungary.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tolnai
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Parasitology, Fish and Bee Diseases, Veterinary Diagnostic Directorate, National Food Chain Safety Office, Tábornok utca 2, Budapest H-1143, Hungary.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Széll
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Mammalian, Poultry and Wildlife Pathology, Veterinary Diagnostic Directorate, National Food Chain Safety Office, Tábornok utca 2, Budapest H-1143, Hungary.
authors.forename: Á
authors.initials: Á
authors.lastname: Sproch
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Mammalian, Poultry and Wildlife Pathology, Veterinary Diagnostic Directorate, National Food Chain Safety Office, Tábornok utca 2, Budapest H-1143, Hungary.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Szeredi
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Parasitology, Fish and Bee Diseases, Veterinary Diagnostic Directorate, National Food Chain Safety Office, Tábornok utca 2, Budapest H-1143, Hungary. Electronic address: SreterT@nebih.gov.hu.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sréter
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D046028:Canidae / Q000469:parasitology*; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D004183:Dirofilaria immitis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D004184:Dirofilariasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000662:veterinary; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005589:Foxes / Q000469:parasitology; D006814:Hungary / Q000453:epidemiology; D046030:Jackals / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D012335:RNA, Ribosomal; C075526:RNA, ribosomal, 12S
keywords: Dirofilaria immitis; Distribution; Dog; Golden jackal; Heartworm; Prevalence; Red fox