ArticleParasites & vectors2023
Diversity and geographic distribution of haplotypes of Dirofilaria immitis across European endemic countries.
Article in Parasites & vectors, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed.
- Comparison of two doxycycline dosages on inflammatory and stress response in dogs naturally infected with Dirofilaria immitis.Parasites & vectors · 2026Article
- Efficacy and safety of a sustained-release formulation of ivermectin (FILAPREV®) in preventing heartworm infection (Dirofilaria immitis) in dogs in two endemic areas of Italy.Parasites & vectors · 2026Article
- Application of COI-LAMP for Detection of Dirofilaria immitis with High Sensitivity and Specificity in Epidemiological Studies.Acta parasitologica · 2026Article
- Population genomics reveals an ancient origin of heartworms in canids.Communications biology · 2026Article
- Blood bronchial mucus with Dirofilaria immitis adult worms after the treatment with doxycycline and moxidectin: a rare case presentation.Parasitology · 2026Article
- Do not let your guard down! Prevalence of Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens in dogs entering shelters in northern Italy.Parasites & vectors · 2025Article
- New Insights into the Phylogeographic History ofAnimals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2025Article
- Seroepidemiological study of Leishmania infantum, Toxoplasma gondii and Dirofilaria immitis in pet ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) in Spain.Veterinary research communications · 2025Article
- The Distribution, Diversity, and Control of Dirofilariosis in Brazil: A Comprehensive Review.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2024Review
- An unexpected case of a dog from Poland co-infected with Dirofilaria repens and Dirofilaria Immitis.BMC veterinary research · 2024Article
- The Roles of Various Immune Cell Populations in Immune Response against Helminths.International journal of molecular sciences · 2023Review
- Pre-treatment of canine plasma with heat, rather than acid, efficiently enhances Dirofilaria immitis antigen detection.Parasites & vectors · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
21 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundDirofilaria immitis, also known as heartworm, is one of the most important parasitic nematodes of domestic dogs, causing a potentially serious disease, cardiopulmonary dirofilariosis, which can be lethal. This species seems to be less 'expansive' than its sister species Dirofilaria repens, and it is believed that climate change facilitates the spread of this parasite to new non-endemic regions.
methodsIn total, 122 heartworm isolates were analysed from nine endemic countries in Europe (Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, and Ukraine) and a single isolate from Bangladesh by amplification and sequencing of two mitochondrial (mt) DNA markers: cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) and dehydrogenase subunit 1 (NADH). The main aim of the current study was to determine the genetic diversity of D. immitis and compare it with D. repens haplotype diversity and distribution. DNA was extracted from adult heartworms or microfilariae in blood. Most isolates originated from dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) while 10 isolates originated from wildlife species from Romania, including eight isolates from golden jackals (Canis aureus), one isolate from a Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) and one isolate from a red fox (Vulpes vulpes).
resultsMedian spanning network analysis was based on the combined sequence (1721 bp) obtained from two mt markers and successfully delineated nine haplotypes (Di1-Di9). Haplotype Di1 was the dominant haplotype encompassing 91 out of the 122 sequences (75%) from all nine countries and four host species. Haplotype Di2 was the second most common haplotype, formed solely by 13 isolates from Italy. The remaining sequences were assigned to Di3-Di9 haplotypes, differing by 1-4 SNPs from the dominant Di1 haplotype. There was evidence for geographical segregation of haplotypes, with three unique haplotypes associated with Italy and four others associated with certain countries (Di4 and Di7 with Slovakia; Di8 with Greece; Di6 with Hungary).
conclusionDiversity in D. immitis mt haplotypes was lower by half than in D. repens (9 vs. 18 haplotypes in D. immitis and D. repens, respectively), which may be associated with the slower expansion of heartworm in Central and NE Europe. NADH gene appears to be conserved in Dirofilaria sp. by showing lower genetic diversity than the analysed COI gene.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.