The trends of human dirofilariasis in Croatia: Yesterday – Today – Tomorrow
Introduction: Human dirofilariasis is a disease historically linked to the Mediterranean area. For the last few decades, however, Dirofilaria nematodes have been spreading, both in terms of prevalence and the geographical expansion in non-endemic areas. Currently, cases of human dirofilariasis are r...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2020-12-01
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| Series: | One Health |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352771420302548 |
| _version_ | 1818392110863220736 |
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| author | Ana Pupić-Bakrač Jure Pupić-Bakrač Daria Jurković Maja Capar Lorena Lazarić Stefanović Izabela Antunović Ćelović Jasmina Kučinar Adam Polkinghorne Relja Beck |
| author_facet | Ana Pupić-Bakrač Jure Pupić-Bakrač Daria Jurković Maja Capar Lorena Lazarić Stefanović Izabela Antunović Ćelović Jasmina Kučinar Adam Polkinghorne Relja Beck |
| author_sort | Ana Pupić-Bakrač |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Human dirofilariasis is a disease historically linked to the Mediterranean area. For the last few decades, however, Dirofilaria nematodes have been spreading, both in terms of prevalence and the geographical expansion in non-endemic areas. Currently, cases of human dirofilariasis are recorded in more than 40 countries worldwide. Croatia is considered an endemic area of the Adriatic basin. Methods: In a nationwide investigation, new and previously published cases of human dirofilariasis in Croatia were analyzed. Results: Since 1996, 30 cases of human dirofilariosis were reported in Croatia. A total of 14 (46,67%) cases were from the coastal and 16 (53,33%) from continental regions of the country. Based on anatomical location, 13 (43,33%) cases were subcutaneous, 12 (40%) were ocular and five (16,67%) occurred in the reproductive organs. In all 30 cases, Dirofilaria repens was identified as the causative agent. Conclusions: An increase in air temperature as climate change, changes in mosquito fauna, high prevalence of D. repens in dogs and limited use of chemoprophylaxis are possible risk factors for Dirofilaria infection in the Croatian population. Since reporting to epidemiological services is not mandatory in this country, the real number of human dirofilariasis cases is probably significantly higher than published. This emphasizes the need for mandatory reporting of human cases and surveillance of Dirofilaria infection in dogs and mosquitoes in Croatia, following the “One Health” concept. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T05:24:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4c78192fc909467f9e88ffd767c0e865 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2352-7714 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T05:24:13Z |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | One Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-4c78192fc909467f9e88ffd767c0e8652022-12-21T23:15:34ZengElsevierOne Health2352-77142020-12-0110100153The trends of human dirofilariasis in Croatia: Yesterday – Today – TomorrowAna Pupić-Bakrač0Jure Pupić-Bakrač1Daria Jurković2Maja Capar3Lorena Lazarić Stefanović4Izabela Antunović Ćelović5Jasmina Kučinar6Adam Polkinghorne7Relja Beck8Department of Ophthalmology, General Hospital Zadar, Bože Peričića 5, 23 000, Zadar, Croatia; Corresponding author.Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Maxillofacial Surgery, General Hospital Zadar, Bože Peričića 5, 23 000, Zadar, CroatiaDepartment for Bacteriology and Parasitology, Croatian Veterinary Institute, Savska cesta 143, 10 000 Zagreb, CroatiaDepartment of Infectology, General Hospital Pula, Zagrebačka 30, 52100, Pula, CroatiaDepartment of Microbiology, General Hospital Pula, Zagrebačka 30, 52100, Pula, CroatiaDepartment of Infectology, General Hospital Pula, Zagrebačka 30, 52100, Pula, CroatiaMicrobiology Department, Istria County Institute of Public Health, Nazorova ulica 23, 52100 Pula, CroatiaDepartment of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, New South Wales Health Pathology, Nepean Blue Mountains Pathology Service, PO Box 63, Penrith, New South Wales, 2751, AustraliaDepartment for Bacteriology and Parasitology, Croatian Veterinary Institute, Savska cesta 143, 10 000 Zagreb, CroatiaIntroduction: Human dirofilariasis is a disease historically linked to the Mediterranean area. For the last few decades, however, Dirofilaria nematodes have been spreading, both in terms of prevalence and the geographical expansion in non-endemic areas. Currently, cases of human dirofilariasis are recorded in more than 40 countries worldwide. Croatia is considered an endemic area of the Adriatic basin. Methods: In a nationwide investigation, new and previously published cases of human dirofilariasis in Croatia were analyzed. Results: Since 1996, 30 cases of human dirofilariosis were reported in Croatia. A total of 14 (46,67%) cases were from the coastal and 16 (53,33%) from continental regions of the country. Based on anatomical location, 13 (43,33%) cases were subcutaneous, 12 (40%) were ocular and five (16,67%) occurred in the reproductive organs. In all 30 cases, Dirofilaria repens was identified as the causative agent. Conclusions: An increase in air temperature as climate change, changes in mosquito fauna, high prevalence of D. repens in dogs and limited use of chemoprophylaxis are possible risk factors for Dirofilaria infection in the Croatian population. Since reporting to epidemiological services is not mandatory in this country, the real number of human dirofilariasis cases is probably significantly higher than published. This emphasizes the need for mandatory reporting of human cases and surveillance of Dirofilaria infection in dogs and mosquitoes in Croatia, following the “One Health” concept.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352771420302548DirofilariasisHumansEyeSkinHelminthsEndemic diseases |
| spellingShingle | Ana Pupić-Bakrač Jure Pupić-Bakrač Daria Jurković Maja Capar Lorena Lazarić Stefanović Izabela Antunović Ćelović Jasmina Kučinar Adam Polkinghorne Relja Beck The trends of human dirofilariasis in Croatia: Yesterday – Today – Tomorrow One Health Dirofilariasis Humans Eye Skin Helminths Endemic diseases |
| title | The trends of human dirofilariasis in Croatia: Yesterday – Today – Tomorrow |
| title_full | The trends of human dirofilariasis in Croatia: Yesterday – Today – Tomorrow |
| title_fullStr | The trends of human dirofilariasis in Croatia: Yesterday – Today – Tomorrow |
| title_full_unstemmed | The trends of human dirofilariasis in Croatia: Yesterday – Today – Tomorrow |
| title_short | The trends of human dirofilariasis in Croatia: Yesterday – Today – Tomorrow |
| title_sort | trends of human dirofilariasis in croatia yesterday today tomorrow |
| topic | Dirofilariasis Humans Eye Skin Helminths Endemic diseases |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352771420302548 |
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