title: No evidence of Dirofilaria repens infection in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) from Brandenburg, Germany.
abstract: Dirofilaria (D.) repens is a nematode causing dirofilariasis in dogs, cats and in humans. Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) are well-known wildlife reservoirs for zoonotic diseases. These two species are highly abundant in Germany, frequently exposed to vector mosquitoes and potentially susceptible to Dirofilaria infections. To obtain data about D. repens infections in these animals, red fox and raccoon dog carcasses (hunted or found dead) were collected from January to September 2009 in the Federal State of Brandenburg, Germany. Lung tissue samples were subjected to DNA extraction and examined for the presence of Dirofilaria DNA by means of D. repens-specific PCR. D. repens-specific DNA could not be amplified from the lungs of red foxes (n = 122; 0%) nor from the lungs of raccoon dogs (n = 13; 0%), suggesting a limited role if a role at all in the natural transmission cycle of D. repens in Brandenburg.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Parasitology, Veterinary Faculty, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 35, 04103, Leipzig, Germany. Haertwig@vetmed.uni-leipzig.de.
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Härtwig
authors.affiliation: Berlin-Brandenburg State Laboratory, Frankfurt (Oder), Germany.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schulze
authors.affiliation: Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, Veterinary Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pfeffer
authors.affiliation: Institute of Parasitology, Veterinary Faculty, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 35, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Arwid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Daugschies
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Laboratory Freiburg, Freiburg i. Br, Germany.
authors.forename: Viktor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dyachenko
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D060348:Dirofilaria repens / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004184:Dirofilariasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D005589:Foxes / Q000469:parasitology*; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000469:parasitology; D046031:Raccoon Dogs / Q000469:parasitology*; D015047:Zoonoses
keywords: Dirofilaria repens; Lung tissue; Nyctereutes procyonoides; PCR; Raccoon dogs; Red foxes; Vulpes vulpes