1
|
Athukorala N, Wickramasinghe S, Yatawara L, Weerakoon K. A Systematic Review of Zoonotic Disease Prevalence in Sri Lanka (2000-2022). Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2024; 24:453-472. [PMID: 38775108 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2023.0141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: The burden of zoonotic diseases in developing countries is significantly underestimated, influenced by various factors such as misdiagnosis, underreporting, natural disasters, climate change, resource limitations, rapid unplanned urbanization, poverty, animal migration, travel, ecotourism, and the tropical environmental conditions prevalent in the region. Despite Sri Lanka's provision of a publicly funded free health care system, zoonoses still contribute significantly to the burden of communicable diseases in the country. This study serves as a timely and exhaustive systematic review of zoonoses reported over the past 22 years in Sri Lanka. Materials and Methods: This systematic review adhered to the guidelines provided by the "Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses" (PRISMA) statement. A systematic literature search was conducted between July and September 2022, utilizing the following databases and sources: Google Scholar, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Weekly Epidemiological Reports, and Rabies Statistical Bulletins published by the Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka. Results: From the initial database search, 1,710 articles were identified. After excluding nonzoonotic diseases, duplicated reports, inaccessible articles, and those not meeting the inclusion criteria, 570 reports were evaluated for eligibility. Of these, 91 reports were selected for data extraction, comprising 58 original research articles, 10 case reports, 16 weekly epidemiological reports, and 7 rabies statistical bulletins. Over the study period (2000-2022), 14 parasitic, 7 bacterial, and 7 viral zoonoses have been reported in Sri Lanka. Notably, leptospirosis emerged as the most reported zoonotic disease in the country. Conclusions: In response to these findings, we strongly recommend the implementation of a tailored, country-specific prevention and control program. To achieve this goal effectively, we emphasize the importance of adopting a country-specific "One Health" approach as a comprehensive framework for managing and controlling zoonotic diseases in Sri Lanka.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nadeesha Athukorala
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
| | - Susiji Wickramasinghe
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
| | - Lalani Yatawara
- Deparment of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
| | - Kosala Weerakoon
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Allied Sciences, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, Mihintale, Sri Lanka
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Atapattu U, Koehler AV, Huggins LG, Wiethoelter A, Traub RJ, Colella V. Dogs are reservoir hosts of the zoonotic Dirofilaria sp. 'hongkongensis' and potentially of Brugia sp. Sri Lanka genotype in Sri Lanka. One Health 2023; 17:100625. [PMID: 38024272 PMCID: PMC10665175 DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2023.100625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
In 2016, the World Health Organization declared Sri Lanka as having successfully eliminated lymphatic filariasis as a public health concern. However, in recent decades, several infections with subperiodic filarial species suggestive of zoonotic infections have been recorded across the country. The arthropod-borne filarioids Dirofilaria repens, Brugia malayi, Brugia ceylonensis, and Acanthocheilonema reconditum are historically known to be endemic in dogs in Sri Lanka. Despite this, limited information on the prevalence, diversity, and predictors of filarial infections in dogs in the country has resulted in suboptimal control and prevention of these parasites, some of which are known to be zoonotic. To address this, whole blood and metadata were collected and analysed from 423 pet dogs across three geo-climatic zones within Sri Lanka. Blood samples were screened using the Modified Knott's Test (MKT) and PCR followed by Sanger sequencing. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to assess predictors for canine filarial infections. Dirofilaria sp. 'hongkongensis' (Dirofilaria sp. HK) and Brugia sp. Sri Lanka (SL) genotype were identified infecting dogs. The overall prevalence of filarial infection in pet dogs by PCR was 36.9% (95% CI 32.3-41.7%, n = 156), compared to 18.8% (95% CI 15.2-22.9%, n = 79) detected using the MKT. >80% of filarial-positive dogs were infected by Dirofilaria sp. HK, while the remaining dogs were infected by Brugia sp. SL genotype. Increasing age (p < 0.001) and residing in the low-country wet zone (p < 0.001), which includes regions that were endemic for human filariasis in Sri Lanka, were associated with filarial infections in dogs. No clear pathognomonic signs for filarial infection were identified, indicating that dogs act as reservoirs for these potentially zoonotic pathogens. Given the morphological similarity of Dirofilaria HK and Brugia sp. SL microfilariae with those of D. repens and B. malayi, respectively, it is likely that these species have been misidentified in the past. Prevention and control measures of these potentially zoonotic canine filarial infections are highly advocated to safeguard both canine and human health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ushani Atapattu
- Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Anson V. Koehler
- Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Lucas G. Huggins
- Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Anke Wiethoelter
- Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Rebecca J. Traub
- Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Vito Colella
- Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Thilakarathne SS, Yuen NKY, Hassan MM, Yahathugoda TC, Abdullah S. Animal and Human Dirofilariasis in India and Sri Lanka: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13091551. [PMID: 37174588 PMCID: PMC10177550 DOI: 10.3390/ani13091551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Dirofilariasis is an emerging vector-borne tropical disease of public health importance that mainly affects humans and dogs. Dirofilaria immitis and D. repens are the two well-documented dirofilariasis-causing filarioid helminths of both medical and veterinary concerns in India and Sri Lanka. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to describe and summarize the current evidence of dirofilariasis prevalence and distribution in India and Sri Lanka. Interestingly, D. repens is reported to circulate in both dogs (prevalence of 35.8% (95% CI: 11.23-60.69)) and humans (97% of published case reports) in India and Sri Lanka, but D. immitis is reported to be present in the dog populations in India (prevalence of 9.7% (95% CI: 8.5-11.0%)), and so far, it has not been reported in Sri Lanka. This peculiar distribution of D. immitis and D. repens in the two neighbouring countries could be due to the interaction between the two parasite species, which could affect the pattern of infection of the two worm species in dogs and thus influence the geographical distribution of these two filarial worms. In medical and veterinary practice, histopathology was the most commonly used diagnostic technique (31.3%; 95% CI 2.5-60.2%). The low specificity of histopathology to speciate the various Dirofilaria spp. may lead to misdiagnosis. It was identified in this study that several regions of India and Sri Lanka have not yet been surveyed for dirofilariasis. This limits our understanding of the geographical distribution and interspecies interactions of the two parasites within these countries. Parasite distribution, disease prevalence, and interspecies interactions between the vectors and the host should be targeted for future research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sandani S Thilakarathne
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ruhuna, Galle P.O. Box 70, Sri Lanka
| | - Nicholas K Y Yuen
- School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia
| | - Mohammad Mahmudul Hassan
- School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chattogram 4225, Bangladesh
| | - Thishan C Yahathugoda
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ruhuna, Galle P.O. Box 70, Sri Lanka
| | - Swaid Abdullah
- School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Dantas-Torres F, Ketzis J, Pérez Tort G, Mihalca AD, Baneth G, Otranto D, Watanabe M, Linh BK, Inpankaew T, Borrás P, Arumugam S, Penzhorn BL, Ybañez AP, Irwin P, Traub RJ. Heartworm adulticide treatment: a tropical perspective. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:148. [PMID: 37106364 PMCID: PMC10141906 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05690-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Dirofilaria immitis (the canine heartworm) is widespread in the tropics, with prevalence surpassing 30% in high-risk areas. In addition to the suitable climatic conditions that favour mosquito abundance and filarial larva development, there is low compliance with the recommended year-round use of preventives in these transmission hotspots. This represents a major concern, considering that melarsomine (first-line heartworm adulticide) is unavailable in several tropical countries, resulting in the so-called slow-kill protocol being the only available adulticide treatment option. In this article, the members of TroCCAP (Tropical Council for Companion Animal Parasites) review the current distribution of heartworm in the tropics and the availability of melarsomine, and discuss alternatives for the management of heartworm infections in dogs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Filipe Dantas-Torres
- Instituto Aggeu Magalhães, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.
| | - Jennifer Ketzis
- Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis
| | - Gabriela Pérez Tort
- University of Buenos Aires and Virreyes Veterinary Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Andrei Daniel Mihalca
- University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Gad Baneth
- The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | | | | | - Bui Khanh Linh
- Vietnam National University of Agriculture, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | | | - Pablo Borrás
- Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Sangaran Arumugam
- Madras Veterinary College, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai, India
| | | | | | | | - Rebecca J Traub
- Melbourne Veterinary School, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Thilakarathne SS, Wijayawardhane N, Perera PK, Mallawa C, Rajakaruna RS. Filariasis in dogs brought to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. Parasitol Res 2023; 122:461-469. [PMID: 36482010 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07742-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Dirofilariasis is the predominant emerging zoonotic filariasis in the world. The two most frequent filarial worms that infect dogs are Dirofilaria repens and Dirofilaria immitis. This study reports filariasis among dogs brought to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH) at the University of Peradeniya and signifies the first molecular characterization of D. repens, responsible for an emerging zoonotic filarial disease in Sri Lanka. Blood samples were collected and were morphologically analyzed using Modified Knott's Technique, followed by molecular analyses. The difference in filariasis prevalence among gender, breed, and age categories was analyzed using a chi-square test. Infection intensities were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test and the Kruskal Wallis test. The dogs were brought to the clinic for either vaccination and/or for a regular checkup, and most were sick having non-specific clinical signs. Among the 87 dogs tested, 27.6% were positive for Dirofilaria. Conventional PCR and bi-directional sequencing of genomic DNA of microscopically tested positive samples revealed that the species in Sri Lanka was D. repens. The infection was significantly higher in males (39.1%) than in females (14.6%; χ2 = 0.447, p = 0.011), though it is not significant between puppies (age < 1 year) and adult dogs. More crossbred dogs were infected compared to older and purebred dogs. There was no difference in intensity of infection based on their gender, age, or breed. Sequences obtained from the current study were unique and were only 63% identical to those of D. repens reported from South India. The high number of Dirofilaria infections in domestic dogs indicates a potential reservoir for emerging human dirofilariasis cases in Sri Lanka. Thus, morphological and molecular diagnosis, along with epidemiological assessment of these zoonoses, is critical for the formulation of effective public health programs and control mechanisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sandani S Thilakarathne
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ruhuna, Galle, Sri Lanka.,Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, 20400, Sri Lanka
| | - Nayana Wijayawardhane
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
| | - Piyumali K Perera
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, 20400, Sri Lanka
| | - Chandima Mallawa
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
| | - Rupika S Rajakaruna
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, 20400, Sri Lanka.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
The clinical dilemma for acute scrotum in paediatrics: A rare etiology. Int J Surg Case Rep 2022; 100:107753. [PMID: 36279732 PMCID: PMC9596720 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijscr.2022.107753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The acute scrotum is a clinical scenario and it is considered as a paediatric urological emergency with acute onset of pain and swelling of the scrotum with its contents. It is quite challenging for the clinician to make a precise differential diagnosis because it has various etiologies, overlapping clinical presentations and the extreme tenderness over the area that makes clinical examination difficult. Torsion of the testis is a surgical emergency condition with prevalence of acute scrotal disease in the paediatric population that occurs due to twisting the spermatic cord. This case provides a clue to clinician for managing with the unique situation of parasitic disease as an acute scrotum.
Collapse
|
7
|
Wysmołek ME, Klockiewicz M, Długosz E, Wiśniewski M. Canine antibody response against Dirofilaria repens in natural occult and microfilaremic infections. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2022; 86:101818. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2022.101818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|