New Insights into the Phylogeographic History of <i>Dirofilaria immitis</i> in the Canary Islands, Spain
Heartworm disease (<i>Dirofilaria immitis</i>) is an important zoonotic infection of major clinical importance in dogs widespread, and transmitted by culicid vectors. Although <i>D. immitis</i> mostly affects dogs with an overall low incidence, some islands of the Atlantic ar...
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MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| author | Rodrigo Morchón Alfonso Balmori-de la Puente Manuel Collado-Cuadrado Iván Rodríguez-Escolar Noelia Costa-Rodríguez Elena Infante González-Mohino Elena Carretón José Alberto Montoya-Alonso |
| author_facet | Rodrigo Morchón Alfonso Balmori-de la Puente Manuel Collado-Cuadrado Iván Rodríguez-Escolar Noelia Costa-Rodríguez Elena Infante González-Mohino Elena Carretón José Alberto Montoya-Alonso |
| author_sort | Rodrigo Morchón |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Heartworm disease (<i>Dirofilaria immitis</i>) is an important zoonotic infection of major clinical importance in dogs widespread, and transmitted by culicid vectors. Although <i>D. immitis</i> mostly affects dogs with an overall low incidence, some islands of the Atlantic archipelagos such as the island of Gran Canaria (Canary Islands, Spain) had one of the highest historical prevalence/seroprevalence values in dogs, cats and humans. Molecular tools allow us to perform species identification diagnosis, phylogeographic and population genetics analysis that can provide key information about the factors making the disease still a threat (uncover untreated range of hosts, putative origin, etc.). In this study, we have optimized primers to amplify mitochondrial (COI, 12S) and nuclear (ITS) molecular markers from adult <i>D. immitis</i> worms. The genetic diversity and structure of <i>D. immitis</i> at the global level is limited, especially when compared with results obtained for other species of the same genus, such as <i>D. repens</i>. New minor haplotypes in the mitochondrial COI marker have been identified from adult <i>D. immitis</i> worms from infected dogs from the hyperendemic island of Gran Canaria, suggesting that the disease may have originated locally or may have been introduced from the mainland in historical times and evolved in isolation. To obtain a more complete understanding of its evolutionary history, structure and genomic diversity, comparative studies using next-generation sequencing data from endemic areas are needed, which will help in the long term to implement monitoring and control measures in a given area and to better understand its global phylogeographic history. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj-art-4863636b346340c19d7c4657c468d73f2025-08-20T02:24:39ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152025-06-011512169410.3390/ani15121694New Insights into the Phylogeographic History of <i>Dirofilaria immitis</i> in the Canary Islands, SpainRodrigo Morchón0Alfonso Balmori-de la Puente1Manuel Collado-Cuadrado2Iván Rodríguez-Escolar3Noelia Costa-Rodríguez4Elena Infante González-Mohino5Elena Carretón6José Alberto Montoya-Alonso7Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35413 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, SpainZoonotic Diseases and One Health Group, Biomedical Research Institute of Salamanca (IBSAL), Centre for Environmental Studies and Rural Dynamization (CEADIR), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, SpainZoonotic Diseases and One Health Group, Biomedical Research Institute of Salamanca (IBSAL), Centre for Environmental Studies and Rural Dynamization (CEADIR), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, SpainZoonotic Diseases and One Health Group, Biomedical Research Institute of Salamanca (IBSAL), Centre for Environmental Studies and Rural Dynamization (CEADIR), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, SpainInternal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35413 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, SpainZoonotic Diseases and One Health Group, Biomedical Research Institute of Salamanca (IBSAL), Centre for Environmental Studies and Rural Dynamization (CEADIR), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, SpainInternal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35413 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, SpainInternal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35413 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, SpainHeartworm disease (<i>Dirofilaria immitis</i>) is an important zoonotic infection of major clinical importance in dogs widespread, and transmitted by culicid vectors. Although <i>D. immitis</i> mostly affects dogs with an overall low incidence, some islands of the Atlantic archipelagos such as the island of Gran Canaria (Canary Islands, Spain) had one of the highest historical prevalence/seroprevalence values in dogs, cats and humans. Molecular tools allow us to perform species identification diagnosis, phylogeographic and population genetics analysis that can provide key information about the factors making the disease still a threat (uncover untreated range of hosts, putative origin, etc.). In this study, we have optimized primers to amplify mitochondrial (COI, 12S) and nuclear (ITS) molecular markers from adult <i>D. immitis</i> worms. The genetic diversity and structure of <i>D. immitis</i> at the global level is limited, especially when compared with results obtained for other species of the same genus, such as <i>D. repens</i>. New minor haplotypes in the mitochondrial COI marker have been identified from adult <i>D. immitis</i> worms from infected dogs from the hyperendemic island of Gran Canaria, suggesting that the disease may have originated locally or may have been introduced from the mainland in historical times and evolved in isolation. To obtain a more complete understanding of its evolutionary history, structure and genomic diversity, comparative studies using next-generation sequencing data from endemic areas are needed, which will help in the long term to implement monitoring and control measures in a given area and to better understand its global phylogeographic history.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/12/1694<i>Dirofilaria immitis</i>dogsPCRhyperendemic islandGran CanariaSpain |
| spellingShingle | Rodrigo Morchón Alfonso Balmori-de la Puente Manuel Collado-Cuadrado Iván Rodríguez-Escolar Noelia Costa-Rodríguez Elena Infante González-Mohino Elena Carretón José Alberto Montoya-Alonso New Insights into the Phylogeographic History of <i>Dirofilaria immitis</i> in the Canary Islands, Spain Animals <i>Dirofilaria immitis</i> dogs PCR hyperendemic island Gran Canaria Spain |
| title | New Insights into the Phylogeographic History of <i>Dirofilaria immitis</i> in the Canary Islands, Spain |
| title_full | New Insights into the Phylogeographic History of <i>Dirofilaria immitis</i> in the Canary Islands, Spain |
| title_fullStr | New Insights into the Phylogeographic History of <i>Dirofilaria immitis</i> in the Canary Islands, Spain |
| title_full_unstemmed | New Insights into the Phylogeographic History of <i>Dirofilaria immitis</i> in the Canary Islands, Spain |
| title_short | New Insights into the Phylogeographic History of <i>Dirofilaria immitis</i> in the Canary Islands, Spain |
| title_sort | new insights into the phylogeographic history of i dirofilaria immitis i in the canary islands spain |
| topic | <i>Dirofilaria immitis</i> dogs PCR hyperendemic island Gran Canaria Spain |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/12/1694 |
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