1
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Latrofa MS, Louzada-Flores VN, Maia C, Kelly MA, Verocai GG, Cantacessi C, Otranto D. Development of an indirect ELISA for the serodiagnosis of canine infection by Onchocerca lupi. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3348. [PMID: 38336818 PMCID: PMC10858053 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53759-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Onchocerca lupi is a zoonotic filarioid parasite of dogs and cats with widespread distribution. A specific non-invasive diagnostic assay for the detection of O. lupi infections remains unavailable. This study aimed to assess the accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity of an ELISA test designed using nine peptides from two O. lupi proteins. Sera (n = 54) collected from O. lupi infected dogs from endemic areas (Portugal and USA), alongside sera from dogs positive for Dirofilaria immitis, D. repens, Cercopithifilaria bainae, and Acanthocheilonema reconditum (n = 53) from a non-endemic area for O. lupi, as well as from helminth-free dogs (n = 60), were tested. The checkerboard titration method was applied for the optimization of peptide concentrations and conjugate anti-dog dilutions. Sensitivity, specificity, and optimal cut-off values were calculated using ROC curve analysis. All peptides reacted against sera of O. lupi, with no correlation between optic density (OD) values and microfilariae (mfs) loads. Sensitivity and specificity values ranging from 85.45 to 100%, and 88.89% to 100%, respectively, were recorded for all peptides examined, with 100% specificity and sensitivity observed for peptides 40_3, 40_5, 130_3, 120_3 and 40_1, 130_5, respectively. The maximum cut-off value was observed for peptides 40_5 (0.765) and 40_3 (0.708). Testing of sera from dogs positive for other filarioids resulted in lower OD values (up to 1.565) for peptides 40_3 and 40_5 when compared with O. lupi (up to 2.929). The availability of this assay will be of value in epidemiological studies of canine O. lupi infection in both endemic and non-endemic areas, and in assessing the risk for zoonotic transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Carla Maia
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Associate Laboratory in Translation and Innovation Towards Global Health, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Rua de Junqueira 100, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Maureen A Kelly
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Guilherme G Verocai
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Cinzia Cantacessi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Domenico Otranto
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, 70010, Bari, Italy.
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
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2
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Tudor P, Ionașcu I, Mateescu CI, Bezerra-Santos MA, Gurău MR, Mateescu RE, Gagniuc E, Tudor N, Otranto D. Feline ocular onchocercosis by Onchocerca lupi: Phylogenetic insights and implication for veterinary health. Acta Trop 2023; 237:106723. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 10/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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3
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Asghari A, Adhami G, Shariatzadeh SA, Kordi B, Anvari D, Shams M, Majidiani H, Darvishi MM. Confirmed cases of human Onchocerca lupi infection: a systematic review of an emerging threat. Parasitol Res 2021; 120:3633-3644. [PMID: 34519871 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-021-07309-2] [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: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Diverse Onchocerca species are present mostly parasitizing ungulates, with the exception of Onchocerca volvulus (O. volvulus) in humans and O. lupi in canids and cats. The human cases due to the O. lupi have been more highlighted during last years. So, the present review was performed to determine the detailed characteristics of confirmed human O. lupi case reports documented worldwide. Hence, a systematic search was done using English international databases (Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, ProQuest, and Google Scholar). Totally, 14 confirmed human cases were documented during the last decade, mostly from the USA and Turkey with 7 and 3 cases, respectively. Most cases (7 individuals) were male with the age range of 22-month-old to 54-year-old. The parasite was frequently isolated from the right eye (5 cases), followed by the left eye (4 cases), cervical spinal canal (3 cases), scalp, and right forearm (one case each). Molecular identification of the isolated agent was the preferred way of diagnosis in most cases (9 records). In conclusion, human O. lupi cases have been more highlighted in recent years, whether due to the improved diagnostics and/or host-switching phenomenon, and both veterinarians and healthcare authorities should be alerted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Asghari
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Ghazaaleh Adhami
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Islamic Azad University of Sanandaj, Sanandaj, Iran
| | - Seyyed Ali Shariatzadeh
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Communicable Diseases Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Bahareh Kordi
- Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Davood Anvari
- Department of Parasitology, Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,School of Medicine, Iranshahr University of Medical Sciences, Iranshahr, Iran
| | - Morteza Shams
- Zoonotic Diseases Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran. .,Student Research Committee, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran.
| | - Hamidreza Majidiani
- Zoonotic Diseases Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran.
| | - Mohammad Mahdi Darvishi
- Pathobiology Department, Shahmirzad School of Veterinary Medicine, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran
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4
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Rojas A, Morales-Calvo F, Salant H, Otranto D, Baneth G. Zoonotic Ocular Onchocercosis by Onchocerca lupi. THE YALE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2021; 94:331-341. [PMID: 34211352 PMCID: PMC8223538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
The parasitic filarioid Onchocerca lupi causes ocular disease characterized by conjunctivitis and nodular lesions. This nematode was first described in 1967 in a wolf from Georgia, and since then cases of infection from dogs and cats with ocular onchocercosis and sporadically from humans also with subcutaneous and cervical lesions caused by O. lupi have been reported from the Middle East, Europe, and North America. Due to its zoonotic potential, this parasitic infection has gained attention in the past 20 years. Phylogenetic studies have highlighted the recent divergence of O. lupi from other Onchocerca spp. and the importance of domestication in the evolutionary history of this worm. Moreover, the finding of an O. lupi genotype associated with subclinical and mild infection in the Iberian Peninsula, raises important questions about the pathogenicity of this presently enigmatic parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Rojas
- Laboratory of Helminthology, Centro de Investigación en
Enfermedades Tropicales, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica,To whom all correspondence should be addressed:
Alicia Rojas, Laboratorio de Helmintología, Facultad de Microbiología,
Universidad de Costa Rica, Sede Rodrigo Facio, Montes de Oca, San José Costa
Rica, 11501-2060; Tel: +(506)2511-8645;
; ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2007-7198
| | - Fernando Morales-Calvo
- Laboratory of Helminthology, Centro de Investigación en
Enfermedades Tropicales, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Harold Salant
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew
University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Domenico Otranto
- Parasitology Unit, Department of Veterinary Medicine,
University of Bari, Valenzano, Italy,Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Bu-Ali Sina University,
Hamedan, Iran
| | - Gad Baneth
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew
University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
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5
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The first case of autochthonous subcutaneous dirofilariasis (Dirofilaria repens) in a dog from Białowieża (NE Poland) and possible threat posed to inhabitants of Białowieża Primeval Forest area. Parasitol Res 2020; 120:359-364. [PMID: 33205237 PMCID: PMC7846540 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06955-2] [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: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
We present the first case of dirofilariasis in a dog from Białowieża village located in the primeval European forest—Białowieża Primeval Forest (NE Poland). Molecular analysis of adult nematode specimens isolated from subcutaneous tissue confirmed the infection with Dirofilaria repens. An adult male dog has not travelled out of the Białowieża village for at least five years; therefore, we assume this is the autochthonous case of the disease. We discuss possible inter- and intra-species transmission routes of dirofilariasis on this territory, which is inhabited by diverse community of wild carnivores, domestic animals, and humans. We also discuss the likely sources of the disease in this, highly biodiverse unique European forest complex. We underline the lack of attention to this problem and its importance for veterinary, wildlife, and human health safety.
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6
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Zoonotic Implications of Onchocerca Species on Human Health. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9090761. [PMID: 32957647 PMCID: PMC7560048 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9090761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The genus Onchocerca includes several species associated with ungulates as hosts, although some have been identified in canids, felids, and humans. Onchocerca species have a wide geographical distribution, and the disease they produce, onchocerciasis, is generally seen in adult individuals because of its large prepatency period. In recent years, Onchocerca species infecting animals have been found as subcutaneous nodules or invading the ocular tissues of humans; the species involved are O. lupi, O. dewittei japonica, O. jakutensis, O. gutturosa, and O. cervicalis. These findings generally involve immature adult female worms, with no evidence of being fertile. However, a few cases with fertile O. lupi, O. dewittei japonica, and O. jakutensis worms have been identified recently in humans. These are relevant because they indicate that the parasite’s life cycle was completed in the new host—humans. In this work, we discuss the establishment of zoonotic Onchocerca infections in humans, and the possibility of these infections to produce symptoms similar to human onchocerciasis, such as dermatitis, ocular damage, and epilepsy. Zoonotic onchocerciasis is thought to be an emerging human parasitic disease, with the need to take measures such as One Health Strategies, in order to identify and control new cases in humans.
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7
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de Oliveira CS, Savadelis MD, McLean NJ, Verocai GG. Assessing the potential cross-reactivity using a commercial heartworm ELISA kits of serum from dogs naturally infected with Onchocerca lupi. Vet Parasitol 2020; 280:109070. [PMID: 32247934 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2020.109070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Onchocerca lupi is an emerging zoonotic parasite of dogs, endemic to the southwestern USA and areas of the Old World. Currently, there are no specific serological diagnostic tests able to detect O. lupi infection. Recent literature has demonstrated that commercially available heartworm antigen tests, despite being highly sensitive, may cross-react with infections by other filarid nematodes. There is no information on potential cross-reactivity of such tests in serum of dogs infected with O. lupi. Our objective was to assess serum samples of dogs naturally-infected with O. lupi for potential cross-reactivity before and after heat-treatment using a commercial heartworm ELISA kit. We obtained serum from 23 dogs naturally-infected with O. lupi. These dogs presented with ocular disease, and were consulted to schedule either surgical removal of ocular nodules due to infection or enucleation. Samples were tested in triplicate using the DiroCHEK® Heartworm Antigen Test kit (Synbiotics Corporation, Zoetis, Kalamazoo, MI, USA) following the manufacturers' protocol pre- and post-heat-treatment. Samples were heat-treated using a dry heat block at 103 °C for 10 min and then centrifuged at 1818×g for 20 min. Out of a total of 23 dogs, 19 (82.6 %) had no antigen detected regardless of heat-treatment, three dogs tested positive before and after heat-treatment, and a single dog turned positive after heat-treatment. These three dogs that were positive before and after heat-treatment were confirmedly co-infected with Dirofilaria immitis by the veterinarians responsible for these cases, and we were unable to get the history or follow up with the dog that turned positive post-heat-treatment only. Our data suggest that O. lupi infections should not result in false-positives when using the DiroCHEK® in dog serum, before or after heat-treatment. Dogs with clinical ocular onchocercosis that test antigen-positive in DiroCHEK® are likely co-infected with D. immitis, and should be further tested, including evaluation of microfilariae in blood and diagnostic imaging. If heartworm infection is confirmed, the animals should be enrolled in the recommended treatment protocol in accordance to the guidelines of the American Heartworm Society or other local organizations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Sobotyk de Oliveira
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Molly D Savadelis
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA; Zoetis, Veterinary Medicine Research and Development, Kalamazoo, MI, 49007, USA
| | - Nancy Johnstone McLean
- Ophthalmology, VCA Veterinary Care Animal Hospital and Referral Center, Albuquerque, NM, 87111, USA
| | - Guilherme G Verocai
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA; Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
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8
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Tahir D, Davoust B, Parola P. Vector-borne nematode diseases in pets and humans in the Mediterranean Basin: An update. Vet World 2019; 12:1630-1643. [PMID: 31849426 PMCID: PMC6868252 DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2019.1630-1643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Vector-borne diseases (VBDs) are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in humans and animals. The scale of VBDs is increasing worldwide, including in the Mediterranean Basin, a region exposed to climate changes. Indeed, weather conditions may influence the abundance and distribution of vectors. The vector-borne nematode diseases of dogs and cats, such as dirofilariosis, onchocercosis, thelaziosis, Cercopithifilaria, and Acanthocheilonema infections, are some of these vectorized diseases, several of which are zoonoses. They are all caused by parasitic nematodes transmitted by arthropods, including mosquitoes (Dirofilaria spp.), black flies (Onchocerca lupi), drosophilids (Thelazia callipaeda), ticks (Acanthocheilonema dracunculoides and Cercopithifilaria bainae), and fleas and lice (Acanthocheilonema reconditum). The control and prevention of these infections and diseases require a multidisciplinary approach based on strengthening collaboration between the different actors in the fields of health, research, sociology, economics, governments and citizens, to improve human, animal, and ecosystem health. This is the concept of "one health." The review aimed to provide a general update on the spatial and temporal distribution of vector-borne nematodes diseases affecting companion animals and humans, as well as the vectors involved in the Mediterranean area. Simultaneously, certain epidemiological parameters, diagnosis, treatment, and control of these diseases based on the "one health" concept will also be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Djamel Tahir
- Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, Marseille, France.,Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
| | - Bernard Davoust
- Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France.,Microbes Evolution Phylogeny and Infections, Aix Marseille Univ, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Marseille, Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
| | - Philippe Parola
- Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, Marseille, France.,Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
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9
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Fukuda M, Uni S, Igari T, Utsumi Y, Otsuka Y, Nakatani J, Uga S, Hara T, Hasegawa H, Takaoka H. Human case of Onchocerca dewittei japonica infection in Fukushima, Northeastern Honshu, Japan. Parasitol Int 2019; 72:101943. [PMID: 31220633 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2019.101943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2018] [Revised: 06/07/2019] [Accepted: 06/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
A 73-year-old man living in Kawamata-machi, Fukushima Prefecture, Northeastern Honshu, Japan, visited a hospital with complaints of a subcutaneous swelling that had developed on the back of his left hand. The nodule was surgically removed from the vagina fibrosa tendinis of his left forefinger. Based on the histopathological characteristics, the causative agent of this nodule was identified as a female Onchocerca dewittei japonica (Spirurida: Onchocercidae). The species identification was confirmed by cox1 gene sequencing of the worm tissues from paraffin-embedded sections of the nodule. Although 11 cases of zoonotic onchocercosis have previously been recorded in Kyushu and Western Honshu, Japan, the present findings represent the first human case of infection with O. dewittei japonica in Northeastern Honshu, Japan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masako Fukuda
- Institute for Research Promotion, Oita University, Oita 879-5593, Japan.
| | - Shigehiko Uni
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Department of Public Health, Faculty of Nursing, Kobe Women's University, Kobe 650-0046, Japan
| | - Takahiro Igari
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Ohara General Hospital, Fukushima 960-8611, Japan
| | - Yasufumi Utsumi
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Ohara General Hospital, Fukushima 960-8611, Japan
| | - Yasushi Otsuka
- Research Center for the Pacific Islands, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima 890-8580, Japan
| | - Jun Nakatani
- Agriculture Research Center, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8666, Japan
| | - Shoji Uga
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Nursing, Kobe Women's University, Kobe 650-0046, Japan
| | - Tatsuru Hara
- Department of Parasitology, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume 830-0011, Japan
| | - Hideo Hasegawa
- Department of Infectious Disease Control, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Oita 879-5593, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Takaoka
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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10
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Verocai GG, Conboy G, Lejeune M, Marron F, Hanna P, MacDonald E, Skorobohach B, Wilcock B, Kutz SJ, Gilleard JS. Onchocerca lupi Nematodes in Dogs Exported from the United States into Canada. Emerg Infect Dis 2018; 22:1477-9. [PMID: 27434170 PMCID: PMC4982182 DOI: 10.3201/eid2208.151918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The Onchocerca lupi nematode is an emerging helminth capable of infecting pets and humans. We detected this parasite in 2 dogs that were imported into Canada from the southwestern United States, a region to which this nematode is endemic. We discuss risk for establishment of O. lupi in Canada.
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11
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Lefoulon E, Giannelli A, Makepeace BL, Mutafchiev Y, Townson S, Uni S, Verocai GG, Otranto D, Martin C. Whence river blindness? The domestication of mammals and host-parasite co-evolution in the nematode genus Onchocerca. Int J Parasitol 2017; 47:457-470. [PMID: 28344097 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2016.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2016] [Revised: 12/19/2016] [Accepted: 12/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The genus Onchocerca includes 34 described species and represents one of the largest genera of the filarial nematodes within the family Onchocercidae. Representative members of this genus are mainly parasites of ungulates, with some exceptions such as Onchocerca lupi and Onchocerca volvulus, infecting carnivores and/or humans. For a long time, the evolutionary relationships amongst onchocercids remained poorly studied, as the systematics of this genus was impaired by the high morphological variability of species included in the taxon. Although some molecular phylogenies were developed, these studies were mainly focused on bovine Onchocerca spp. and O. volvulus, including assessments of Wolbachia endosymbionts. In the present study, we analysed 13 Onchocerca spp. from a larger host spectrum using a panel of seven different genes. Analysis of the coxI marker supports its usefulness for the identification of species within the genus. The evolutionary history of the genus has been herein revised by multi-gene phylogenies, presenting three strongly supported clades of Onchocerca spp. Analyses of co-evolutionary scenarios between Onchocerca and their vertebrate hosts underline the effect of domestication on Onchocerca speciation. Our study indicates that a host switch event occurred between Bovidae, Canidae and humans. Cophylogenetic analyses between Onchocerca and the endosymbiotic bacterium Wolbachia indicate the strongest co-evolutionary pattern ever registered within the filarial nematodes. Finally, this dataset indicates that the clade composed by O. lupi, Onchocerca gutturosa, Onchocerca lienalis, Onchocerca ochengi and O. volvulus derived from recent speciation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie Lefoulon
- Unité Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Microorganismes (MCAM, UMR 7245), Sorbonne Universités, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Alessio Giannelli
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Bari, Valenzano, Italy
| | - Benjamin L Makepeace
- Institute of Infection and Global Health, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Yasen Mutafchiev
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Simon Townson
- Tropical Parasitic Diseases Unit, Northwick Park Institute for Medical Research, Harrow, Middlesex, United Kingdom
| | - Shigehiko Uni
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Guilherme G Verocai
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Domenico Otranto
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Bari, Valenzano, Italy
| | - Coralie Martin
- Unité Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Microorganismes (MCAM, UMR 7245), Sorbonne Universités, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Paris, France.
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12
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McLean NJ, Newkirk K, Adema CM. Canine ocular onchocerciasis: a retrospective review of the diagnosis, treatment, and outcome of 16 cases in New Mexico (2011-2015). Vet Ophthalmol 2016; 20:349-356. [PMID: 27624855 DOI: 10.1111/vop.12433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To describe the clinical exam findings, treatment and outcomes of 16 dogs diagnosed with ocular onchocerciasis in New Mexico. MATERIALS AND METHODS Records of dogs diagnosed by the primary author were reviewed (2011-2015). Records that were accessible and included a diagnosis of Onchocerca lupi by histopathologic or molecular identification of the nematode were included. RESULTS Sixteen cases were included. 3/16 dogs were treated with year-round heartworm prophylaxis prior to infection. Clinical exam findings included conjunctival hyperemia and/or episcleral injection (16/16), focal subconjunctival mass(es) (14/16), retinal detachment (7/16), corneal edema (4/16), chemosis (3/16), corneal opacity (2/16), exophthalmia (1/16), glaucoma (1/16), strabismus (1/16), blepharospasm (1/16), and vitreal degeneration (1/16). Ocular involvement was unilateral in 7/16 dogs and bilateral in 9/16 dogs. The diagnosis was confirmed via histologic identification of the nematodes and/or PCR. Treatment consisted of medical management or a combination medical and surgical management. Known or suspected recurrence of disease was documented in 10 dogs. CONCLUSIONS Canine ocular onchocerciasis is endemic in New Mexico. Histopathology and molecular identification are useful diagnostic tools. Medical management alone was successful in many cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy Johnstone McLean
- Ophthalmology, VCA Veterinary Care Animal Hospital and Referral Center, 9901 Montgomery Boulevard NE, 87111, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Kimberly Newkirk
- Anatomic Pathobiology, Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, University of Tennessee, 2407 River Drive, Room A205, 37996-4542, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Coenraad M Adema
- Center for Evolutionary and Theoretical Immunology, University of New Mexico, Castetter Hall Biology MSC03 2020, 87112-0001, Albuquerque, NM, USA
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13
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Campbell B, Cortes H, Annoscia G, Giannelli A, Parisi A, Latrofa MS, Dantas-Torres F, Cardoso L, Otranto D. Paramyosin of canine Onchocerca lupi: usefulness for the diagnosis of a neglected zoonotic disease. Parasit Vectors 2016; 9:493. [PMID: 27604904 PMCID: PMC5013582 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1783-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2016] [Accepted: 08/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Of increasing importance to the medical and veterinary communities is the zoonotic filarioid nematode Onchocerca lupi. Onchocercosis, thus far found in wolves, dogs, cats and humans, is diagnosed via skin snips to detect microfilariae and surgical removal of adults from the eye of the host. These methods are time-consuming, laborious and invasive, highlighting the need for new tools for the diagnosis of O. lupi in susceptible hosts. Symptoms related to the presence of the adults in the eye can range from none apparent to severe, including blindness. No reliable chemotherapeutic protocols are available, as yet, to eliminate the infection. Paramyosin, an invertebrate-specific protein, has been well-studied as an allergen, diagnostic marker and vaccine candidate. The aim of this study, therefore, was to isolate and characterise paramyosin from O. lupi to assess its suitability for the development of a serological diagnostic assay. METHODS The adult and microfilarial stages of O. lupi were isolated from the eyes and skin of a 3-year-old male dog. Total RNA was extracted and reverse transcribed into single stranded cDNA. Reverse-transcription PCR was used to isolate a full-length paramyosin cDNA from adult worms and to investigate the temporal expression patterns of this gene. All amplicons were sequenced using dideoxy chain termination sequencing. Bioinformatics was used to predict the amino acid sequence of the gene, to compare the DNA and protein sequences with those available in public databases and to investigate the phylogenetic relationship of all molecules. Antibody binding sites were predicted using bioinformatics and mapped along with published antigenic epitopes against the O. lupi paramyosin protein. The native protein, and three smaller recombinantly expressed peptides, were subjected to western blot using serum from dogs both positive and negative for O. lupi. RESULTS Paramyosin of O. lupi was herein molecularly characterized, encoded by a transcript of 2,643 bp and producing a protein of 881 amino acids (101.24 kDa). The paramyosin transcript was detected, by reverse transcription PCR, in adults and microfilariae, but not in eggs. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that this molecule clusters with paramyosins from other filarioids to the exclusion of those from other taxa. A total of 621 unique antibody binding epitopes were predicted for this protein and another 28 were conserved in other organisms. This information was used to design three peptides, for recombinant expression, to identify the antibody binding epitope(s) and reduce potential cross-reactivity with serum from dogs infected with other filarioid nematodes. Native paramyosin, purified from microfilariae and adults, was detected by antibodies present in serum from dogs with known O. lupi infections. CONCLUSIONS Data provided herein may assist in the development of a serological diagnostic test, based on antibodies to O. lupi paramyosin, for the diagnosis of this infection, in order to gain more information on the real distribution of this little known filarioid of zoonotic concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bronwyn Campbell
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Universitá degli Studi di Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Helder Cortes
- Victor Caeiro Laboratory of Parasitology, Instituto de Ciências Agrárias e Ambientais Mediterrânicas, Universidade de Évora, Évora, Portugal
| | - Giada Annoscia
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Universitá degli Studi di Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Alessio Giannelli
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Universitá degli Studi di Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Antonio Parisi
- IZS Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Puglia e Basilicata, Putignano, Italy
| | | | - Filipe Dantas-Torres
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Universitá degli Studi di Bari, Bari, Italy
- Departamento de Imunologia, Centro de Pesquisas Aggeu Magalhães (Fiocruz-PE), Recife, Brazil
| | - Luís Cardoso
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Domenico Otranto
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Universitá degli Studi di Bari, Bari, Italy
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Gordon CA, McManus DP, Jones MK, Gray DJ, Gobert GN. The Increase of Exotic Zoonotic Helminth Infections: The Impact of Urbanization, Climate Change and Globalization. ADVANCES IN PARASITOLOGY 2016; 91:311-97. [PMID: 27015952 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apar.2015.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Zoonotic parasitic diseases are increasingly impacting human populations due to the effects of globalization, urbanization and climate change. Here we review the recent literature on the most important helminth zoonoses, including reports of incidence and prevalence. We discuss those helminth diseases which are increasing in endemic areas and consider their geographical spread into new regions within the framework of globalization, urbanization and climate change to determine the effect these variables are having on disease incidence, transmission and the associated challenges presented for public health initiatives, including control and elimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine A Gordon
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, Infectious Diseases Division, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Donald P McManus
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, Infectious Diseases Division, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Malcolm K Jones
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, Infectious Diseases Division, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia; School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Darren J Gray
- Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Geoffrey N Gobert
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, Infectious Diseases Division, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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15
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Hassan HK, Bolcen S, Kubofcik J, Nutman TB, Eberhard ML, Middleton K, Wekesa JW, Ruedas G, Nelson KJ, Dubielzig R, De Lombaert M, Silverman B, Schorling JJ, Adler PH, Unnasch TR, Beeler ES. Isolation of Onchocerca lupi in Dogs and Black Flies, California, USA. Emerg Infect Dis 2016; 21:789-96. [PMID: 25897954 PMCID: PMC4412245 DOI: 10.3201/eid2105.142011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
We implicated the black fly as a vector for this filarial zoonotic parasitic infection. In southern California, ocular infections caused by Onchocerca lupi were diagnosed in 3 dogs (1 in 2006, 2 in 2012). The infectious agent was confirmed through morphologic analysis of fixed parasites in tissues and by PCR and sequencing of amplicons derived from 2 mitochondrially encoded genes and 1 nuclear-encoded gene. A nested PCR based on the sequence of the cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 gene of the parasite was developed and used to screen Simulium black flies collected from southern California for O. lupi DNA. Six (2.8%; 95% CI 0.6%–5.0%) of 213 black flies contained O. lupi DNA. Partial mitochondrial16S rRNA gene sequences from the infected flies matched sequences derived from black fly larvae cytotaxonomically identified as Simulium tribulatum. These data implicate S. tribulatum flies as a putative vector for O. lupi in southern California.
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16
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Dantas-Torres F, Otranto D. Best Practices for Preventing Vector-Borne Diseases in Dogs and Humans. Trends Parasitol 2016; 32:43-55. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2015.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2015] [Revised: 09/03/2015] [Accepted: 09/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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17
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Baneth G, Thamsborg SM, Otranto D, Guillot J, Blaga R, Deplazes P, Solano-Gallego L. Major Parasitic Zoonoses Associated with Dogs and Cats in Europe. J Comp Pathol 2015; 155:S54-74. [PMID: 26687277 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcpa.2015.10.179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2015] [Revised: 10/13/2015] [Accepted: 10/18/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Some of the most important zoonotic infectious diseases are associated with parasites transmitted from companion animals to man. This review describes the main parasitic zoonoses in Europe related to dogs and cats, with particular emphasis on their current epidemiology. Toxoplasmosis, leishmaniosis, giardiosis, echinococcosis, dirofilariosis and toxocariosis are described from the animal, as well as from the human host perspectives, with an emphasis on parasite life cycle, transmission, pathogenicity, prevention and identification of knowledge gaps. In addition, priorities for research and intervention in order to decrease the risks and burden of these diseases are presented. Preventing zoonotic parasitic infections requires an integrated multidisciplinary 'One Health' approach involving collaboration between veterinary and medical scientists, policy makers and public health officials.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Baneth
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, Hebrew University, Rehovot, Israel.
| | - S M Thamsborg
- University of Copenhagen, Department of Veterinary Disease Biology, Veterinary Parasitology Research Group, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - D Otranto
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy
| | - J Guillot
- École Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Department of Parasitology, BioPole d'Alfort, UPE, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - R Blaga
- École Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Department of Parasitology, BioPole d'Alfort, UPE, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - P Deplazes
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - L Solano-Gallego
- Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Valles, Spain
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18
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Cantey PT, Weeks J, Edwards M, Rao S, Ostovar GA, Dehority W, Alzona M, Swoboda S, Christiaens B, Ballan W, Hartley J, Terranella A, Weatherhead J, Dunn JJ, Marx DP, Hicks MJ, Rauch RA, Smith C, Dishop MK, Handler MH, Dudley RWR, Chundu K, Hobohm D, Feiz-Erfan I, Hakes J, Berry RS, Stepensaski S, Greenfield B, Shroeder L, Bishop H, de Almeida M, Mathison B, Eberhard M. The Emergence of Zoonotic Onchocerca lupi Infection in the United States--A Case-Series. Clin Infect Dis 2015; 62:778-83. [PMID: 26611778 DOI: 10.1093/cid/civ983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2015] [Accepted: 11/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This case-series describes the 6 human infections with Onchocerca lupi, a parasite known to infect cats and dogs, that have been identified in the United States since 2013. Unlike cases reported outside the country, the American patients have not had subconjunctival nodules but have manifested more invasive disease (eg, spinal, orbital, and subdermal nodules). Diagnosis remains challenging in the absence of a serologic test. Treatment should be guided by what is done for Onchocerca volvulus as there are no data for O. lupi. Available evidence suggests that there may be transmission in southwestern United States, but the risk of transmission to humans is not known. Research is needed to better define the burden of disease in the United States and develop appropriately-targeted prevention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul T Cantey
- Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Jessica Weeks
- Indian Health Service - Navajo Area, Window Rock, Arizona
| | | | - Suchitra Rao
- Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora
| | - G Amin Ostovar
- Maricopa Medical Center, District Medical Group, University of Arizona, Phoenix
| | - Walter Dehority
- University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque
| | | | - Sara Swoboda
- Indian Health Service - Navajo Area, Window Rock, Arizona
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Christiana Smith
- Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora
| | - Megan K Dishop
- Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, Minneapolis
| | - Michael H Handler
- Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora
| | - Roy W R Dudley
- Montreal Children's Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Kote Chundu
- Maricopa Medical Center, District Medical Group, University of Arizona, Phoenix
| | - Dan Hobohm
- Maricopa Medical Center, District Medical Group, University of Arizona, Phoenix
| | - Iman Feiz-Erfan
- Maricopa Medical Center, District Medical Group, University of Arizona, Phoenix
| | - Joseph Hakes
- San Juan Regional Medical Group, Farmington, New Mexico
| | - Ryan S Berry
- University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque
| | - Shelly Stepensaski
- Division of Dermatopathology, Pathology Associates of Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | | | | | - Henry Bishop
- Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Marcos de Almeida
- Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Blaine Mathison
- Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Mark Eberhard
- Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
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19
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Tudor P, Turcitu M, Mateescu C, Dantas-Torres F, Tudor N, Bărbuceanu F, Ciuca L, Burcoveanu I, Acatrinei D, Rinaldi L, Mateescu R, Bădicu A, Ionașcu I, Otranto D. Zoonotic ocular onchocercosis caused by Onchocerca lupi in dogs in Romania. Parasitol Res 2015; 115:859-62. [DOI: 10.1007/s00436-015-4816-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2015] [Accepted: 11/02/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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20
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Otranto D. Diagnostic challenges and the unwritten stories of dog and cat parasites. Vet Parasitol 2015; 212:54-61. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2015.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2015] [Revised: 05/26/2015] [Accepted: 06/04/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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21
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Chen T, Moon K, deMello DE, Feiz-Erfan I, Theodore N, Bhardwaj RD. Case report of an epidural cervical Onchocerca lupi infection in a 13-year-old boy. J Neurosurg Pediatr 2015; 16:217-21. [PMID: 25932778 DOI: 10.3171/2014.12.peds14462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
A 13-year-old boy presented with fever and neck pain and stiffness, which was initially misdiagnosed as culture-negative meningitis. Magnetic resonance images of the brain and cervical spine demonstrated what appeared to be an intradural extramedullary mass at the C1-3 level, resulting in moderate cord compression, and a Chiari Type I malformation. The patient underwent a suboccipital craniectomy and a C1-3 laminectomy with intradural exploration for excisional biopsy and resection. The lesion containing the parasite was extradural, extending laterally through the C2-3 foramina. Inflammatory tissue secondary to Onchocerca lupi infection was identified, and treatment with steroids and doxycycline was initiated. At the 6-month follow-up, the patient remained asymptomatic, with MR images demonstrating a significant reduction in lesional size. However, 10 weeks postoperatively, the infection recurred, necessitating a second operation. The patient was treated with an additional course of doxycycline and is currently maintained on ivermectin therapy. This is the second reported case of cervical O. lupi infection in a human. In the authors' experience, oral doxycycline alone was insufficient in controlling the disease, and the addition of ivermectin therapy was necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsinsue Chen
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center
| | - Karam Moon
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center
| | - Daphne E deMello
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Phoenix Children's Hospital
| | - Iman Feiz-Erfan
- The University of Arizona, College of Medicine-Phoenix; and.,Division of Neurosurgery, Maricopa Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona
| | - Nicholas Theodore
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center
| | - Ratan D Bhardwaj
- Division of Neurological Surgery, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix Children's Hospital
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22
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Grácio AJS, Richter J, Komnenou AT, Grácio MA. Onchocerciasis caused by Onchocerca lupi: an emerging zoonotic infection. Systematic review. Parasitol Res 2015; 114:2401-13. [PMID: 25990062 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-015-4535-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2015] [Accepted: 05/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Globalization has increased circulation of people, their food, livestock and pets in the world, and changes in the environment, climate and human behaviour have led to the rapid expansion of emerging infections throughout the world. One of the reasons of a new pathogen affecting humans is the passage from an animal to a human being. Onchocerca (O.) lupi, a filarial worm first described in a wolf in 1967, is an emerging pathogen which has been incriminated as the etiological agent for 205 canine, 2 feline and 18 human infections in Europe, Tunisia, Turkey, Iran and the USA. Most frequent findings in animals and humans are monolateral or asymmetrical variably painful subconjunctival swellings and nodules containing immature or mature worms affecting the eye and/or adjacent tissues accompanied by conjunctival hyperemia. Occasionally, subcutaneous nodules and masses affecting the spinal cord have been observed in humans. Diagnosis of O. lupi is achieved by microscopy of excised adult female worms which exhibit a particular cuticular structure and molecular analysis. Treatment consists in worm removal accompanied by antihelminthic, antibiotic and anti-inflammatory therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- António J Santos Grácio
- Medical Parasitology Unit/Medical Entomology Group, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
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23
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Komnenou AT, Thomas ALN, Papadopoulos E, Koutinas AF. Intraocular localization of Onchocerca lupi adult worm in a dog with anterior uveitis: A case report. Vet Ophthalmol 2015; 19:245-249. [PMID: 25929486 DOI: 10.1111/vop.12277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Canine ocular onchocercosis may represent an important ocular disease with zoonotic potential and widespread geographical distribution. An uncommon localization of Onchocerca lupi adult worm in the anterior chamber of the eye is described for the first time. ANIMAL STUDIED A 4-year-old, intact, male, mixed-breed dog was admitted with profuse lacrimation and severe squinting. On the right eye, there were mucopurulent discharge, chemosis, and all typical signs of anterior uveitis which were attributed to the presence of a moving filarial worm within the anterior chamber. PROCEDURE Removal of the parasite from the anterior chamber by a limbal incision revealed a mature adult male, 7.65-cm-long O. lupi worm. Periocular skin scrapings for the corresponding microfilariae were negative. Postoperatively, apart from systemic prednisolone and doxycycline hyclate and a topical antibiotic/steroid solution, parenteral melarsomine, followed by ivermectin, was given until the complete disappearance of the ocular lesions. CONCLUSIONS Intraocular onchocercosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of canine anterior uveitis in endemic areas. This case highlights the atypical localization of O. lupi in the canine eye emphasizing on the possibility for a complete cure after the surgical removal of the parasite and the filaricidal medication subsequently applied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Th Komnenou
- Ophthalmology Unit, Companion Animal Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), 11, St. Voutira st., 54627, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Angelos L N Thomas
- Ophthalmology Unit, Companion Animal Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), 11, St. Voutira st., 54627, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Elias Papadopoulos
- Laboratory of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University Campus, 54124, Thessaloniki, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Alex F Koutinas
- Quality Vet Practice, 94, 54th Syntagmatos st., 38333, Volos, Greece
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Bergua A, Hohberger B, Held J, Muntau B, Tannich E, Tappe D. Human case of Onchocerca lupi infection, Germany, August 2014. Euro Surveill 2015; 20. [DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.es2015.20.16.21099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Onchocerca lupi, a nematode parasite infecting dogs and cats with a hitherto unknown arthropod vector, is also being recognised as a parasite also responsible for human eye infections. Here we describe a case of human eye infection diagnosed molecularly by nematode 12S rDNA PCR in a German patient who had travelled to Tunisia and Turkey. The patient recovered after treatment with antibiotic and anti-inflammatory therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Bergua
- Department of Ophthalmology and Eye Clinic, Friedrich Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
- Both authors contributed equally to this study
- Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - B Hohberger
- Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Both authors contributed equally to this study
- Department of Ophthalmology and Eye Clinic, Friedrich Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - J Held
- Mikrobiologisches Institut, Friedrich Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
- Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - B Muntau
- Bernhard Nocht Institute, Hamburg, Germany
| | - E Tannich
- Bernhard Nocht Institute, Hamburg, Germany
| | - D Tappe
- Bernhard Nocht Institute, Hamburg, Germany
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25
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Otranto D, Giannelli A, Scotty Trumble N, Chavkin M, Kennard G, Latrofa MS, Bowman DD, Dantas-Torres F, Eberhard ML. Clinical case presentation and a review of the literature of canine onchocercosis by Onchocerca lupi in the United States. Parasit Vectors 2015; 8:89. [PMID: 25884672 PMCID: PMC4346121 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-015-0699-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2014] [Accepted: 01/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Onchocerca lupi, a filarioid of zoonotic concern, infects dogs and cats causing ocular lesions of different degrees, from minor to severe. However, infected animals do not always display overt clinical signs, rendering the diagnosis of the infection obscure to the majority of veterinarians. Canine onchocercosis has been reported in the Old World and the information on its occurrence in the United States, as well as its pathogenesis and clinical management is still meagre. This study reports on the largest case series of O. lupi infection from the United States and reviews previous cases of canine onchocercosis in this country. Methods Information on the clinical history of a series of eight cases of O. lupi infection in dogs diagnosed in Minnesota, New Mexico, Colorado and Florida, from 2011 to 2014, was obtained from clinical records provided the veterinary practitioners. Nematodes were morphologically identified at species level and genetically analyzed. Results All dogs displayed a similar clinical presentation, including subconjunctival and episcleral nodules, which were surgically removed. Each dog was subjected to post-operative therapy. Whitish filaria-like parasites were morphologically and molecularly identified as O. lupi. Conclusions This study confirms that O. lupi is endemic in the United States, indicating that the distribution of the infection is probably wider than previously thought. With effect, further studies are urgently needed in order to improve the diagnosis and to assess the efficacy of therapeutic protocols, targeting the parasite itself and/or its endosymbionts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domenico Otranto
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy.
| | - Alessio Giannelli
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy.
| | | | - Matt Chavkin
- VRCC Animal Eye Specialists, Englewood, Colorado, USA.
| | | | - Maria Stefania Latrofa
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy.
| | | | - Filipe Dantas-Torres
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy. .,Departamento de Imunologia, Centro de Pesquisas Aggeu Magalhães (Fiocruz-PE), Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.
| | - Mark L Eberhard
- Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
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Uni S, Fukuda M, Otsuka Y, Hiramatsu N, Yokobayashi K, Takahashi H, Murata S, Kusatake K, Morita E, Maruyama H, Hasegawa H, Shiwaku K, Ramli R, Azirun MS, Takaoka H. New zoonotic cases of Onchocerca dewittei japonica (Nematoda: Onchocercidae) in Honshu, Japan. Parasit Vectors 2015; 8:59. [PMID: 25623081 PMCID: PMC4323255 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-015-0655-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2014] [Accepted: 01/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Zoonotic infections with Onchocerca species are uncommon, and to date only 25 clinical cases have been reported worldwide. In Japan, five previous zoonotic infections were concentrated in Oita, Kyushu (the southern island), with one previous case in Hiroshima in the western part of Honshu (the main island). The causative agent in Japan was identified as Onchocerca dewittei japonica Uni, Bain & Takaoka, 2001 from Japanese wild boars (Sus scrofa leucomystax Temminck, 1842). Here we report two infections caused by a female and male O. dewittei japonica, respectively, among residents of Hiroshima and Shimane Prefectures in the western part of Honshu. Methods In both cases, nodules were surgically removed. The parasites in nodules were identified on the basis of their histopathological characteristics. Identification was confirmed by sequencing the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene from worms in the tissues used in the histological preparations. Results Case 1 was a 61-year-old woman from Hiroshima Prefecture who complained of a painful subcutaneous nodule on the back of her right hand. The causative agent was identified as a female O. dewittei japonica owing to transverse ridges on the cuticle and molecular analysis. Case 2 was a 78-year-old woman from Shimane Prefecture who had a painful nodule in the left temporal region. Histopathological characteristics and cox1 sequencing of the worm indicated that the causative agent was a male O. dewittei japonica. Conclusions For Cases 1 and 2, we diagnosed the causative agents as a female and male O. dewittei japonica, respectively. These findings indicate the spread of a zoonosis caused by O. dewittei japonica in the western part of Honshu, where wild boars have recently extended their habitats because of decreased annual snowfall, unused rice fields and a decline in the number of hunters in Japan. The O. dewittei japonica infection rate among wild boars was reported as 78% in Shimane Prefecture, in the western part of Honshu. Therefore, in the near future, zoonotic onchocercosis is likely to occur in Honshu as well as Kyushu, where wild boars, blackfly vectors and humans share the same habitat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shigehiko Uni
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. .,Department of Parasitology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan.
| | - Masako Fukuda
- Research Promotion Institute, Oita University, Oita, 879-5593, Japan.
| | - Yasushi Otsuka
- Research Center for the Pacific Islands, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, 890-8580, Japan.
| | | | | | | | - Susumu Murata
- Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, Shimane, 693-8501, Japan.
| | - Kenji Kusatake
- Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, Shimane, 693-8501, Japan.
| | - Eishin Morita
- Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, Shimane, 693-8501, Japan.
| | - Haruhiko Maruyama
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Division of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, 889-1692, Japan.
| | - Hideo Hasegawa
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Oita, 879-5593, Japan.
| | - Kuninori Shiwaku
- Department of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, Shimane, 693-8501, Japan.
| | - Rosli Ramli
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
| | - Mohd Sofian Azirun
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
| | - Hiroyuki Takaoka
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
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Franchini D, Giannelli A, Di Paola G, Cortes H, Cardoso L, Lia RP, Campbell BE, Dantas-Torres F, Lenoci D, Assad EA, Ricciardi M, Valastro C, Cavaliere L, Di Bello A, Otranto D. Image diagnosis of zoonotic onchocercosis by Onchocerca lupi. Vet Parasitol 2014; 203:91-5. [PMID: 24685021 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2014.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2013] [Revised: 01/26/2014] [Accepted: 03/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Onchocerca lupi, a zoonotic nematode infecting the eyes of carnivores, has been increasingly reported in dogs from Europe and the USA. In order to improve the current status of knowledge on this neglected filarioid, diagnostic imaging tools (i.e., ultrasound scan, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging) are herein used to diagnose canine onchocercosis in two dogs, which scored positive for O. lupi microfilariae at the skin snip test and to assess the anatomical location of the nematode within the ocular apparatus. Results indicate that ultrasound tools are useful to address the diagnosis of O. lupi in dogs and to evaluate the localization of nodules or cysts containing the adult nematode.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delia Franchini
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, University of Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy
| | - Alessio Giannelli
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, University of Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Di Paola
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, University of Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy
| | - Helder Cortes
- Instituto de Ciências Agrárias e Ambientais Mediterrânicas, Laboratório de Parasitologia Victor Caeiro, University of Évora, Évora, Portugal
| | - Luís Cardoso
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal; Parasite Disease Group, Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Oporto, Portugal
| | - Riccardo Paolo Lia
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, University of Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy
| | | | - Filipe Dantas-Torres
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, University of Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy; Aggeu Magalhães Research Institute, Recife, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Carmela Valastro
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, University of Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy
| | - Leonardo Cavaliere
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, University of Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy
| | - Antonio Di Bello
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, University of Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy
| | - Domenico Otranto
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, University of Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy.
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28
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Mutafchiev Y, Dantas-Torres F, Giannelli A, Abramo F, Papadopoulos E, Cardoso L, Cortes H, Otranto D. Redescription of Onchocerca lupi (Spirurida: Onchocercidae) with histopathological observations. Parasit Vectors 2013; 6:309. [PMID: 24499611 PMCID: PMC3818983 DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-6-309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2013] [Accepted: 10/21/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Onchocerca lupi is a dog parasite of increasing zoonotic concern, with new human cases diagnosed in Turkey, Tunisia, Iran, and the United States. Information about the morphology of this nematode is scant and a detailed re-description of this species is overdue. In addition, histopathological data of potential usefulness for the identification of O. lupi infections are provided. METHODS Male and female nematodes, collected from the connective tissue of a dog, were examined using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and an histological evaluation was performed on biopsy samples from periocular tissues. RESULTS The morphological identification was confirmed by molecular amplification and partial sequencing of cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 gene. This study provides the first comprehensive morphological and morphometric description of O. lupi from a dog based on light microscopy, SEM, molecular characterization, and histological observations. CONCLUSIONS Data herein presented contribute to a better understanding of this little known parasitic zoonosis, whose impact on human and animal health is still underestimated. The presence of granulomatous reactions only around the female adult suggests that the release of microfilariae from the uterus might be the cause of the inflammatory reaction observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasen Mutafchiev
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Filipe Dantas-Torres
- Departamento de Imunologia, Centro de Pesquisas Aggeu Magalhães, Recife Pernambuco, Brazil
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy
| | - Alessio Giannelli
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy
| | - Francesca Abramo
- Dipartimento di Patologia Animale, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Elias Papadopoulos
- Department of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases and Pathology, Faculty of School of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle, University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Luís Cardoso
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
- Parasite Disease Group, Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Oporto, Portugal
| | - Helder Cortes
- Instituto de Ciências Agrárias e Ambientais Mediterrânicas, Universidade de Évora, Évora, Portugal
| | - Domenico Otranto
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy
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