@article {96139,
	title = {Haematological and biochemical abnormalities in hunting dogs infected with Acanthocheilonema reconditum, associated risk factors, and a European overview},
	journal = {Parasitology Research},
	volume = {120},
	year = {2021},
	month = {May-08-2021},
	pages = {2109-2124},
	abstract = {<p><jats p=""><jats italic="">Acanthocheilonema reconditum</jats> is a filarial parasite transmitted by arthropods (fleas, lice, and ticks) that infect dogs. There is minimal published data available to date on potential haematological and biochemical changes associated with this parasitic infection. Study aims were (i) provide an overview of <jats italic="">A. reconditum</jats> in Europe, (ii) define <jats italic="">A. reconditum</jats> prevalence and risk factors in a specific dog population (hunting) from southern Italy, and (iii) assess the frequency of haemato-biochemical abnormalities associated with infection. Blood samples collected from 3020 dogs were tested by a modified Knott\&rsquo;s technique to count and identify microfilariae. Eighty-four dogs were infected by <jats italic="">A. reconditum</jats> (2.78\%; 95\% CI 2.19\&ndash;3.37\%). Microfilariae ranged from 1 to 212/ml. Based on clinical examination, all but six dogs with non-specific symptoms were healthy. Haematological abnormalities included leucocytosis (<jats italic="">n</jats> = 15), with eosinophilia (<jats italic="">n</jats> = 14) and monocytosis (<jats italic="">n</jats> = 13). Serum biochemical abnormalities included increased total serum proteins (<jats italic="">n</jats> = 19), albumins (<jats italic="">n</jats> = 7), total globulins (<jats italic="">n</jats> = 14), ALT (<jats italic="">n</jats> = 1), and ALP (<jats italic="">n</jats> = 1); one dog was hypoalbuminemic, and BUN was mildly increased in 2 dogs. Risk factors included the province origin (Napoli, OR=5.4, 95\%CI: 2.1\&ndash;14.0; Caserta, OR=5.1, 95\%CI: 2.5\&ndash;10.6), hunting wild mammals (OR=2.8, 95\% 95\%CI: 1.6\&ndash;4.8), and ectoparasite infestation (OR=1.9, 95\%CI: 1.1\&ndash;3.1). There was a negative correlation between microfilaraemic load and decreased albumin level (\&minus;0.37; <jats italic="">p</jats>=0.021). Our results showed that <jats italic="">A. reconditum</jats> circulates within the hunting dog population of southern Italy, with seemingly low pathogenic potential.</jats></p>
},
	keywords = {Acanthocheilonema spp., CVBDs, Filarial nematodes, Hunting dogs},
	issn = {0932-0113, 1432-1955},
	doi = {10.1007/s00436-021-07179-8},
	url = {https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00436-021-07179-8},
	author = {Laura Pacifico and Nicola Ferrari and Claudia Romeo and Francesco Buono and Paolo Varuzza and Giovanni Sgroi and Benedetto Neola and Jesse Buch and Melissa Beall and Edward B. Breitschwerdt and Ramaswamy Chandrashekar and Vincenzo Veneziano and Diego Piantedosi}
}
