Abstract
Dirofilaria immitis is the causal agent of heartworm diseases and of human pulmonary dirofilariosis. The infection is transmitted by several species of culicid mosquitoes that are frequently able to bite both animal reservoirs and humans. Canary Islands (Spain) constitute a well documented endemic area of canine dirofilariosis in which the mosquito species involved in the transmission of D. immitis are not known. The objectives of the present work were the identification of vectors of this parasite in Canary Islands and their molecular characterization. A total of 1219 female mosquitoes were captured. The most abundant species was Culex theileri (52.26%) followed by Cx. pipiens (35.44%), Anopheles cinereus hispaniola (6.23%), Culiseta longiareolata (5.74%), and Culex laticintus (0.33%). PCR was applied for the detection of larval D. immitis DNA in mosquitoes. D. immitis DNA was observed in the abdomen of one Cx. theileri female: 0.082% of the entire mosquito population and 0.17% in Cx. theileri. A molecular identification of Cx. theileri, the potential mosquito vector of dirofilariosis in this zoonotic focus in Canary Islands of Spain, has been made for first time based on sequences of the 18S rRNA gene, the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) of ribosomal DNA and the barcode region of the cytochrome c oxidase I (cox1) gene of mitochondrial DNA, allowing a broad mosquito molecular basis for future populations genetic analyses of this vector species. Parasitological and entomological molecular results suggest that Cx. theileri is a potential natural vector of D. immitis in Canary Islands.
Highlights
Dirofilaria immitis is the causal agent of canine and feline cardiopulmonary dirofilariosis and of human pulmonary dirofilariosis, worldwide [1]
D. immitis DNA was observed in the abdomen of one Cx. theileri females captured in Güimar, Tenerife island
Heartworm disease is a vector borne transmitted parasitosis that affects dogs, cats and humans living in endemic area all over the world
Summary
Dirofilaria immitis is the causal agent of canine and feline cardiopulmonary dirofilariosis (heartworm disease) and of human pulmonary dirofilariosis, worldwide [1]. In animal reservoirs the disease, that afects pulmonary arteries, lungs and heart is serious and potentially fatal [2], while in humans which are accidental hosts, an iatrogenic damage can be produced after the fortuitous discovery of a benign pulmonary nodule that is frequently confused with lung cancer [3]. Numerous species of culicid mosquitoes belonging to the genera Aedes spp., Culex spp. and Anopheles spp. have been related to the transmission of D. immitis in different endemic areas. Other species including An. claviger, An. hyrcanus, An. maculipennis, An. superpictus, Cx. modestus, Cx. pipiens and Cx. tritaenorhynchus, are assumed to be involved in the transmission of dirofilariosis in other endemic areas [5,6,7,8]
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