Abstract
In French Guiana, canine heartworm disease is well known, but the diversity of filarial parasites of dogs remains largely unknown. A total of 98 canine blood samples from Cayenne and Kourou were assessed by a blood wet mount preparation, heartworm antigen test and molecular exploration of filarioid and Wolbachia DNAs, followed by a multiplex species-specific qPCR’s identification and a subsequent sequencing analysis. Thereafter, a phylogeny based on maximum likelihood was carried out to facilitate specific identification. Five dogs were microfilaremic. Heartworm antigens were detected in 15 (15.3%) dogs. Of these, six (6.1%) were considered as occult infections as neither microfilariae nor Dirofilaria immitis DNA were detected. The 11 (11.2%) D. immitis isolates corresponded to a low virulent strain. Six of the D. immitis isolates were positive for Wolbachia endosymbionts of D. immitis belonging to the clade C DNA. Acanthocheilonema reconditum DNA was detected in 3 (3.1%) samples. Of these latter, one was found co-infected with the Brugia sp. genotype and the DNA of the clade D of the Wolbachia endosymbiont of Brugia species. This latter was also detected in two filarioid DNA-free samples. Finally, two samples were positive for Cercopithifilaria bainae genotype, which is distinct from those identified in Europe. The present study highlights the urgent need to implement chemoprophylaxis associated with anti-Wolbachia drugs to control these potential zoonoses.
Highlights
Canine vector-borne diseases (CVBDs) constitute a worldwide group of illnesses affecting dogs
Canine filariasis are a group of canine vector-borne helminth (CVBH) caused by several nematodes belonging to the Onchocercidae family
Dogs may be affected with another less or completely avirulent group of CVBH transmitted by parasitic arthropods other than mosquitoes, such as Acanthocheilonema reconditum and Cercopithifilaria spp. parasite of the sub-cutaneous connective tissues which are actively transmitted through the bites of fleas/lice and ticks, respectively [15,16,17,18]
Summary
Canine vector-borne diseases (CVBDs) constitute a worldwide group of illnesses affecting dogs They are caused by a wide range of bacteria, viruses, protozoa and helminths, all transmitted to dogs by parasitic arthropods bites [1]. Canids constitute suitable hosts for many filarial parasites of veterinary and human importance, such as the zoonotic Dirofilaria immitis (Leidy 1856), the agent of cardiopulmonary dirofilariasis ( known as heartworm) in dogs and pulmonary dirofilariasis in human [8], D. repens which causes in humans, like in dogs the subcutaneous filariasis [9] These two species, together with brugian parasites that cause lymphatic filariasis (e.g., Brugia timori, B. malayi and B. pahangi) [10,11], constitute the most thread-like filarial worms causing millions of canine and human cases throughout the world [12,13,14]. A. dracunculoides infests the peritoneal cavity of dogs [19] and a little known filarioid Onchocerca lupi inducing ocular nodules on the eyelids, conjunctiva and sclera in dogs as in human [20]
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