title: Diversity of Cercopithifilaria species in dogs from Portugal.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Filarioids belonging to the genus Cercopithifilaria (Spirurida: Onchocercidae) have been described in dogs in association with Rhipicephalus sanguineus group ticks, which act as their biological vectors. This study represents the first investigation on Cercopithifilaria spp. in dogs from Portugal.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dogs (n=102) from the Algarve region (south of Portugal) were sampled by skin snip collection and tissues were left to soak overnight in saline solution. Sediments were observed under a light microscope and the detected microfilariae identified according to their morphology. Twenty-four dogs (23.5%) were found infected with at least one species of Cercopithifilaria, namely C. bainae (9.8%), C. grassii (3.9%) and Cercopithifilaria sp. II sensu Otranto et al., 2013 (13.7%). Results were confirmed by molecular amplification of partial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and 12S rRNA genes and sequence analysis. Co-infections with more than one Cercopithifilaria species were detected in 3.9% of the animals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first report of Cercopithifilaria spp. in dogs from Portugal. The estimated level of infection with C. bainae, C. grassii and Cercopithifilaria sp. II suggests that these filarioids are prevalent in the canine population of southern Portugal.
authors.forename: Helder C E
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Cortes
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal. lcardoso@utad.pt.
authors.forename: Luís
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.forename: Alessio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giannelli
authors.forename: Maria Stefania
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Latrofa
authors.forename: Filipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dantas-Torres
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Otranto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D060085:Coinfection; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D004285:Dogs; D005368:Filariasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005370:Filarioidea / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011174:Portugal / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012867:Skin / Q000469:parasitology; D013045:Species Specificity