Dirofilarioza - trenutno stanje u Srbiji - rezervoari i rizici po javno zdravlje

Abstract

Dirofilariosis is a parasitic vector borne disease in carnivores. During the last 20 years the disease is present in Serbia and some regions are even endemic for dirofilariosis. Reservoirs for this disease are dogs. Mosquitoes can carry larvae stage of the parasite called microfilariae. Mosquitoes that can carry microfilariae in Serbia are Culex (С.) pipiens biotype molestus or Aedes (А.) vexans and rarely Aedes (А.) geniculatus. The presence of microfilaria in mosquitoes in Serbia has been confirmed so far, but the prevalence of the causative agent in different mosquito species is not yet known. The disease in Serbia has been discovered primarily in dogs, because of the most obvious clinical symptoms. Canine Dirofilariosis can be found in 2 forms – subcutaneous dirofilariosis caused by Dirofialria repens and cardiopulmonal dirofilariasis caused by Dirofilaria immitis (the „Heart worm“). In skin form there are hardly any symptoms, while in heart form of the disease, cardiopulmonal symptoms can be found which can potentially lead to a fatal outcome. Today the prevalence for D. immitis in dogs in Serbia, in some parts of the country, like Vojvodina, is over 20%. During the past several years, in Serbia, dirofilariosis in humans is diagnosed more frequently. Until today, subcutaneous and subconjunctival localization of Dirofilaria is found caused only by Dirofilaria repens. The most severe form of the infection is when the pathogen is found in the eye, but the therapy is not complex and is at the level of light surgical intervention of worm extraction from the eye or skin. Diagnostics of dirofilariosis with D. immitis in dogs is simple, known, affordable and commercial tests are accessible to the vets. For D. repens however, there are no commercial kits, neither for dogs or humans. This gives the disease the opportunity to spread, „undetected“ and represents a threat to public health.