INFECTION OF PEOPLE OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION WITH DIROFILARIASIS

Abstract

Wide circulation of the causative agent of dirofilariasis in the natural environment and the lack of appropriate measures to identify and deworm infected animals – obligate definitive hosts (domestic dogs and cats) promotes infestation by the human helminth infections. The aim of the study is to analyze the incidence of dirofilariasis in people according to official statistics. The analysis of 52 surveillance maps collected for 2019, 2020 and official statistics on the incidence of parasitic diseases for 2019 was carried out. The analysis of the surveillance maps showed that dirofilariasis is most often registered in the south of Russia (the share of the Southern and Volga Federal Districts accounts for more than 50% of registered patients), the main group of patients with dirofilariasis falls on 30–39 year old people and older 60 years old or more (23.1%, respectively). The structure of patients with dirofilariasis is dominated by women (65.2%). Infestation is more often registered in urban residents (75%). Almost half of the removed dirofilaria, were localized in the head area (weight share of 44.2%). Among the removed helminths, females predominated (80.8%), of which 72.7% were immature. Cases of human infestation with dirofilariasis are registered throughout the Russian Federation, with the exception of the northern regions. Despite the increase in the proportion of Dirofilaria immitis, especially in the south of Russia, the disease caused by Dirofilaria repens and extremely rarely D. immitis are registered in people on the territory of the Russian Federation. It is possible that in this case there is a hypodiagnostic invasion of D. immitis.