Human subcutaneous/ocular dirofilariasis in the Russian Federation and Belarus, 1997-2013.
OBJECTIVE
This study was performed to determine the yearly frequency, trends in spread, and clinical-epidemiological characteristics of human subcutaneous/ocular dirofilariasis (HSOD) in the Russian Federation and Belarus.


METHODS
The surveillance data of HSOD cases occurring between January 1997 and June 2013, obtained from the regional health administrations of the Russian Federation and Belarus, were analyzed. The spatial distribution of cases was assessed using a GIS map, and the clinical-epidemiological characteristics were defined using 719 cases for which information on anatomical location, age, sex, and area of residence was available. The statistical analysis was performed using the Chi-square test.


RESULTS
One thousand two hundred and seventy-two clinical cases of HSOD were identified, the majority of them reported in the south-western regions of the Russian Federation. The disease has spread into northern areas, changing its limit from latitude 45°N in 1997 to latitude 61°N in 2013. The statistical analysis of the data showed that the disease is more frequent in the ocular location, in women, in patients aged between 41 and 60 years, and in patients living in urban areas.


CONCLUSIONS
Alternative sources to the scientific literature could be necessary to assess the epidemiological situation regarding HSOD in some areas where it has become an emerging condition. There is an urgent need for uniform criteria for reporting and retrieving human cases of dirofilariasis.
Rostov State Medical University, Rostov-na-Donu, Russia; Rostov Research Institute of Microbiology and Parasitology, Rostov-na-Donu, Russia.
Vladimir
V
Kartashev
Rostov Research Institute of Microbiology and Parasitology, Rostov-na-Donu, Russia.
Tatiana
T
Tverdokhlebova
Central Sanitary and Epidemiological Station of the Ministry of Health of Belarus, Minsk, Belarus.
Alla
A
Korzan
Central Sanitary and Epidemiological Station of the Ministry of Health of Belarus, Minsk, Belarus.
Andrey
A
Vedenkov
Laboratory of Parasitology and IBSAL, University of Salamanca, C/ del Licenciado Méndez Nieto s/n, 37007 Salamanca, Spain.
Luis
L
Simón
Laboratory of Parasitology and IBSAL, University of Salamanca, C/ del Licenciado Méndez Nieto s/n, 37007 Salamanca, Spain.
Javier
J
González-Miguel
Laboratory of Parasitology and IBSAL, University of Salamanca, C/ del Licenciado Méndez Nieto s/n, 37007 Salamanca, Spain.
Rodrigo
R
Morchón
IRNASA, CSIC, Salamanca, Spain.
Mar
M
Siles-Lucas
Laboratory of Parasitology and IBSAL, University of Salamanca, C/ del Licenciado Méndez Nieto s/n, 37007 Salamanca, Spain. Electronic address: fersimon@usal.es.
Fernando
F
Simón
D000328:Adult; D004184:Dirofilariasis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015822:Eye Infections, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D002094:Republic of Belarus / Q000453:epidemiology; D012426:Russia / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
Belarus; Human dirofilariasis; Incidence; Passive surveillance; Russian Federation; Trend in geographical spread