Erythrocyte sedimentation rate in heartworm naturally infected dogs "with or without" seropositivity: an observational prospective study.

Canine heartworm disease by and canine leishmaniosis by (CanL) are both vector-borne diseases with frequently overlapping endemicity and able to trigger the acute phase response, being characterized by variations in acute phase proteins (APP). Recently, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), an indicator of inflammation, has gained attention in veterinary medicine, proving useful in several conditions that include CanL active forms in dogs. This study aims to evaluate ESR in heartworm-infected dogs, compare levels with heartworm-infected and seropositive dogs as well as clinically healthy dogs, and assess correlations with other laboratory parameters.

Raillietiella hemidactyli (Pentastomida: Raillietiellidae) in Tarentola mauritanica geckoes: A new zoonotic parasite for Europe.

Pentastomida is a subclass of parasitic arthropods, related to crustaceans, which develop in the respiratory tract of vertebrates (i.e., fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals).

Leishmania spp. in Squamata reptiles from the Mediterranean basin.

Leishmania tarentolae is a nonpathogenic trypanosomatid species isolated from geckoes in the Mediterranean basin. In Italy, L. tarentolae and Leishmania infantum occur in sympatry in areas where canine leishmaniosis (CanL) is endemic.

Phlebotomine sand flies and Leishmania species in a focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Algeria.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a disease caused by various Leishmania spp., which are transmitted by phlebotomine sand flies. Algeria is one of the most affected countries, with thousands of cutaneous leishmaniasis cases registered every year.

A nationwide survey of Leishmania infantum infection in cats and associated risk factors in Italy.

Though scantly investigated, Leishmania infantum infection and clinical cases of leishmaniasis in cats have been recently reported in several countries of the Mediterranean basin, with large variability in prevalence data. A major limitation in the comparability of the data available is attributed to the differences in diagnostic techniques employed and cat populations sampled. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of L.

Morphological and phylogenetic analyses of Lutzomyia migonei from three Brazilian states.

Lutzomyia migonei is incriminated as a vector of Leishmania braziliensis, the main causative agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Brazil. Recently, this phlebotomine sand fly species has been suggested as a vector for Leishmania infantum, which causes zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis. Considering the widespread distribution of Lu.

Prevention of feline leishmaniosis with an imidacloprid 10%/flumethrin 4.5% polymer matrix collar.

Background: Leishmaniosis caused by Leishmania infantum is one of the most important vector-borne diseases affecting animals and humans worldwide. Dogs are considered main reservoirs of the zoonotic forms, though in the last years the role of cats as reservoirs has been increasingly investigated. Feline leishmaniosis (FeL) occurs in endemic areas and no specific preventive measures have been investigated so far.

Feline and canine leishmaniosis and other vector-borne diseases in the Aeolian Islands: Pathogen and vector circulation in a confined environment.

Vector-borne diseases (VBDs) are prevalently investigated in dogs. Studies on feline VBDs are scant, though feline leishmaniosis (FeL) is increasingly recognised as a disease of cats in endemic areas. Comprehensive investigations on the distribution of VBDs in populations of cats and dogs living in relatively small geographical areas, such as islands, are currently lacking.

Field Evaluation of Two Different Treatment Approaches and Their Ability to Control Fleas and Prevent Canine Leishmaniosis in a Highly Endemic Area.

This study investigated the efficacy of two collars for the treatment and prevention of flea infestations. Additionally the effect of these collars on the incidence of Leishmania infantum infection as compared with a group of vaccinated dogs was evaluated. A total of 224 young dogs from private animal shelters were enrolled in April/May into four groups: G1, 55 dogs treated with 10% imidacloprid + 4.

Morphological keys for the identification of Italian phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae).

Background: Phlebotomine sand flies are small blood-feeding insects of great medical and veterinary significance. Their identification relies basically on the microscopic examination of key morphological characters. Therefore, identification keys are fundamental to any researcher dealing with these insects.

Incidence of Cercopithifilaria bainae in dogs and probability of co-infection with other tick-borne pathogens.

Background: Cercopithifilaria bainae is a filarioid parasite that infects dogs, being transmitted by Rhipicephalus sanguineus group ticks in many countries of the Mediterranean basin. This study assessed the incidence density rate (IDR) of infection by C. bainae in dogs and the probability of co-infection with other tick-borne pathogens (i.

Efficacy of an imidacloprid/flumethrin collar against fleas, ticks and tick-borne pathogens in dogs.

Background: Tick-borne diseases comprise a group of maladies that are of substantial medical and veterinary significance. A range of tick-borne pathogens, including diverse species of bacteria and protozoa, can infect both dogs and humans. Hence, the control of tick infestations is pivotal to decrease or prevent tick-borne pathogen transmission.

Apparent tick paralysis by Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Acari: Ixodidae) in dogs.

Certain tick species including Ixodes holocyclus can inoculate neurotoxins that induce a rapid, ascending flaccid paralysis in animals. Rhipicephalus sanguineus, the most widespread tick of dogs, is recognized as a vector of several pathogens causing diseases in dogs and humans. A single report suggests its role as cause of paralysis in dogs.

Hepatozoon canis infection in ticks during spring and summer in Italy.

Hepatozoon canis is a common protozoan of dogs, being among the most prevalent tick-borne pathogens infecting dogs around the world. It is primarily transmitted by Rhipicephalus sanguineus, the brown dog tick. In this study we tested ticks collected from dogs and from the environment in order to track the origin of an outbreak of H.

Multilocus molecular and phylogenetic analysis of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) from southern Italy.

This study reports a combined analysis of mitochondrial and ribosomal DNA target regions of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) from the Mediterranean region. A ∼900 bp long fragment of the mitochondrial DNA encompassing regions within cytb and nd1 gene and the complete ITS2 ribosomal region (∼500 bp) were sequenced and characterized for Phlebotomus perniciosus, Phlebotomus perfiliewi, Phlebotomus neglectus, Phlebotomus papatasi, and Sergentomyia minuta, captured in two sites of southern Italy. From one to eight mitochondrial haplotypes and from one to three ITS2 sequence types were found for the examined specimens according to the different sand fly species.