title: Chronic polyarthritis associated to Cercopithifilaria bainae infection in a dog.
abstract: Despite the widespread distribution of Cercopithifilaria bainae among canine and tick populations worldwide, this filarioid is currently considered of 'minor importance' in veterinary medicine, particularly when compared to related filarioids, such as Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens. To date, only a single case of dermatological alterations possibly associated to infection by C. bainae had been reported in a dog. In the present study, we describe the first case of systemic alterations associated to C. bainae infection in a dog suffering from diffused chronic polyarthritis. The animal had a previous history of reluctance to move and stiff gait and displayed multiple joint pain during manipulation of limbs. No biochemical, haematological and X-ray alterations were detected; microfilariae were observed in the synovial fluids collected from the joints. In spite of the morphological and molecular identification of these microfilariae as C. bainae, the dog did not respond to multiple microfilaricidal treatments with milbemicyn oxyme. The potential role of C. bainae in the pathogenesis of this clinical condition is discussed. Given the potential pathogenicity of this parasite, improved knowledge of this little known tick-borne nematode is warranted in order to assist the development of novel and effective treatment strategies.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica e Malattie Infettive, Università "Sapienza", Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gabrielli
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giannelli
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università degli Studi di Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brianti
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy; Departamento de Imunologia, Centro de Pesquisas Aggeu Magalhães (Fiocruz-PE), Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.
authors.forename: Filipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dantas-Torres
authors.affiliation: Ambulatorio Veterinario Associato "Bufalini e Giannini", Viterbo, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bufalini
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica e Malattie Infettive, Università "Sapienza", Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fraulo
authors.affiliation: Novartis Animal Health, Origgio, Varese, Italy; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Piazza A. Moro, 45, 64100, Teramo, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: La Torre
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Rafael A N
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0ES, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cantacessi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Stefania
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Latrofa
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica e Malattie Infettive, Università "Sapienza", Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cancrini
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy. Electronic address: domenico.otranto@uniba.it.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Otranto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001168:Arthritis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D005368:Filariasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005370:Filarioidea / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007558:Italy; D018942:Macrolides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008842:Microfilariae; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000662:veterinary; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000469:parasitology; D017282:Tick-Borne Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D018942:Macrolides; C027837:moxidectin
keywords: Cercopithifilaria bainae; Differential diagnosis; Dog; Milbemicyn oxime; Polyarthritis; Synovial fluid; Tick-borne diseases