1,721,190 research outputs found
Feline heartworm infection: Serological survey of asymptomatic cats living in northern italy.
No full textThe prevalence of Dirofilaria immitis and D. repens in the Old World
No full textDirofilaria immitis and D. repens are endemic throughout Europe and southern eastern regions of Asia and reported with increasing frequency in Africa. Nevertheless, the increased awareness of veterinary practitioners, even in countries where the prevalence is low, has led to a decrease D. immitis prevalence in dogs, especially in previously endemic/hyper-endemic areas. Prevalence has significantly increased, however, in areas where heartworm has apparently spread more recently, such as Central and North Eastern Europe. Furthermore, autochthonous cases have been observed in Siberia. Low seroprevalence has been reported in Croatia, while in Romania it has reached 14%. In Greece, the prevalence ranges between 0.7% and 25% whilst in Turkey is 0-18%. Data for canine dirofilariosis in Africa is scarce, and most are case reports. Overall, the dominant species is Achanthocheilonema dracunculoides, although both D. immitis and D. repens have been reported from some countries. In the Far East, the prevalence ranges from 2% to 15% in northeastern of China. In Hong Kong a novel species has been found in dogs and humans (Candidatus Dirofilaria hongkongensis). In India, the prevalence ranges from 4.7%-29.5% in Northeastern states. The main factors that have influenced the spreading of Dirofilaria infections are the climate changes and the introduction of new, invasive, competent mosquito species such as Aedes albopictus and Ae. koreicus. Other factors include relocation and insufficient prevention in dogs, manly in the new areas of colonization. Feline heartworm infection has been diagnosed in every European country when diagnosed either by the Knott test or by serology for circulating antibodies and antigens of the parasite. However, prevalence is much lower than in dogs. In spite of the continuing spreading of heartworm infection, D. repens is the main concern in Europe, mostly for physicians, while the infection is nearly always asymptomatic in dogs. The infection is spreading from Portugal to the Southeastern regions of Finland and Siberia, and in some areas its prevalence overlaps that of D. immitis. Many reasons make more difficult the control of D. repens than D. immitis: the frequent lack of clinical symptoms of suspicion, the specific diagnosis being possible only by blood examination and the inefficacy of some macrocyclic lactones
Are macrocyclic lactones useful drugs for the treatment of Parascaris equorum infections in foals?
No full textA study was carried out to assess the field efficacy of moxidectin (MOX) against Parascaris equorum in foals. A total of 70 foals from 2 Italian thoroughbred (Farms 1 and 2) stud farms and one trotter stud farm (Farm 3), aged 3-5 months and with faecal egg counts (FEC) f≥ 300 eggs per gram (EPG) were included in the study. On each farm, foals were divided into 2 groups (of 10, 8 and 10 foals, respectively) and treated with either moxidectin (MOX, 400 mcg/kg b.w.) or ivermectin (IVM, 200 mcg/kg b.w.) on day 0 and examined for faecal count reduction (FECR) on day 14. Five, 4 and 5 foals, respectively, were kept as untreated controls. An individually based estimation of efficacy was assessed by a bootstrap simulation to evaluate the percent reduction of FECRs. Two thousand bootstrap resamples were constructed from individual FECRs and the parasite population was considered susceptible for FECs ≥ 90% and 95% lower confidence limit (CL) > 90%, suspected resistant for FECRs ≥ 90% and 95% LCL 90%) in 7 and 5 trotter foals, respectively, and remained >90% until day 35. PYR treatment given on day 14 to remaining 8 foals (3 MOX-treated and 5 IVM-treated) was fully efficacious at faecal examinations carried out on days 28 and 35
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