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Ocular thelaziosis due Thelazia callipaeda (Spirurida: Thelaziidae) in Romania: first report in domestic cat and new geographical records of canine cases

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Abstract

Thelazia callipaeda has been regarded in Europe in the last few decades as a “new” agent of an ocular disease in dogs, cats, several wild species, and not least in humans. After the first European description in Italy, in 1989, the parasite has been reported in many other countries, showing a widespread distribution of this parasite. The first case of canine thelaziosis in Romania has been reported in 2015, and it has been followed by other studies confirming the presence of the nematode in dogs or broadening the host spectrum with some wild carnivore species that have been found positive. Despite being considered suitable primary hosts for T. callipaeda, infection with T. callipaeda in domestic cat is rarely reported in Europe, probably due to some behavioral and physical particularities of this host. This study describes the first autochthonous report of T. callipaeda infection in a domestic cat from Romania. Additionally, to these findings, new geographical records of canine thelaziosis are being revealed, confirming the increased risk of this emerging vector-borne zoonosis.

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Funding

The work of MOD, AG, and VM was carried out under the frame of the USAMV Cluj-Napoca Internal Grant Number 6270/2017.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Calea Mănăştur 3-5, 400372, Cluj-Napoca, Cluj, Romania

    Mirabela Oana Dumitrache, Adriana Györke & Viorica Mircean

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Calea Mănăştur 3-5, 400372, Cluj-Napoca, Cluj, Romania

    Mircea Mircean

  3. Individual Veterinary Practice, Republicii 28/13, 430191, Baia-Mare, Maramureș, Romania

    Monica Benea

Authors
  1. Mirabela Oana Dumitrache
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  2. Adriana Györke
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  3. Mircea Mircean
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  4. Monica Benea
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  5. Viorica Mircean
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Correspondence to Adriana Györke.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests.

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Handling Editor: Julia Walochnik

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Dumitrache, M.O., Györke, A., Mircean, M. et al. Ocular thelaziosis due Thelazia callipaeda (Spirurida: Thelaziidae) in Romania: first report in domestic cat and new geographical records of canine cases. Parasitol Res 117, 4037–4042 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-018-6122-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-018-6122-1

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