@article{
author = "Ćirović, Duško and Penezić, Aleksandra and Pavlović, Ivan and Kulišić, Zoran and Ćosić, Nada and Burazerović, Jelena and Maletić, Vladimir",
year = "2014",
abstract = "Dirofilaria repens causes an emerging zoonotic disease in Europe,
particularly in its southern part, the Mediterranean region. Many
reports on human dirofilariosis have been published recently, but little
is known about the wildlife hosts and reservoirs of this parasite in
nature. This paper presents the first records of adult D. repens
specimens from free-ranging carnivores in Central Balkan countries
(Serbia and Macedonia). During the period 2009-2013, a total of 145
regularly shot canids were examined for the presence of D. repens
adults. In order to investigate their role as hosts and potential wild
reservoirs of this zoonosis, 71 wolves (Canis lupus), 48 foxes (Vulpes
vulpes) and 26 jackals (Canis aureus) were examined. Under the skin of
two wolves (one from Serbia and one from Macedonia) and of a red fox
from Serbia D. repens adults were found. In all three cases only one
parasite was present. Further research on wild canids is needed,
particularly on species widening their range (such as jackals) and those
living near human settlements (foxes and jackals), which facilitates the
transmission of the parasites to dogs and humans.",
journal = "Acta Veterinaria Hungarica",
title = "First records of Dirofilaria repens in wild canids from the region of Central Balkan",
number = "4",
volume = "62",
doi = "10.1556/AVet.2014.021",
pages = "481-488"
}