<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> Thelazia callipaeda is a parasitic nematode causing ocular infections in different mammalian species and humans, clinically manifested as lacrimation, conjunctivitis, keratitis, corneal opacity or corneal ulcer. In this paper, we reported six cases of autochthonous canine and feline thelaziosis on different localities in Serbia. Total of 285 parasites (85 males and 200 females) were collected from the eyes of infected animals (n=6) suffering from uni- or bilateral conjunctivitis, with the number of parasites ranging from 7 to 150 per animal. All parasites were morphologically identified as T. callipaeda, while molecular analyses of cytochrome oxidase 1 (cox1) gene revealed the presence of h1 haplotype, as the unique previously reported in other studies in Europe. Since T. callipaeda is a newly detected parasite in Serbia with the infective potential for humans, there is a necessity for animal owners education and cooperation among professional services in order to control this zoonosis.</p></abstract>

Thelazia callipaeda is a parasitic nematode causing ocular infections in different mammalian species and humans, clinically manifested as lacrimation, conjunctivitis, keratitis, corneal opacity or corneal ulcer. In this paper, we reported six cases of autochthonous canine and feline thelaziosis on different localities in Serbia. Total of 285 parasites (85 males and 200 females) were collected from the eyes of infected animals (n=6) suffering from uni- or bilateral conjunctivitis, with the number of parasites ranging from 7 to 150 per animal. All parasites were morphologically identified as T. callipaeda, while molecular analyses of cytochrome oxidase 1 (cox1) gene revealed the presence of h1 haplotype, as the unique previously reported in other studies in Europe. Since T. callipaeda is a newly detected parasite in Serbia with the infective potential for humans, there is a necessity for animal owners education and cooperation among professional services in order to control this zoonosis.

Canine and Feline Thelaziosis Caused by Thelazia Callipaeda in Serbia

Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bul. oslobodjenja 18, Belgrade, Serbia

Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bul. oslobodjenja 18, Belgrade, Serbia

Acta Veterinaria

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

{"article-title":"Canine and Feline Thelaziosis Caused by Thelazia Callipaeda in Serbia"}

Thelazia callipaeda is a parasitic nematode causing ocular infections in different mammalian species and humans, clinically manifested as lacrimation,...

Canine and Feline Thelaziosis Caused by Thelazia Callipaeda in Serbia

Published Online: Dec 30, 2014

Page range: 447 - 455

Received: Apr 26, 2014

Accepted: Oct 20, 2014

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/acve-2014-0042

© by Gajić Bojan

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.