This article is part of the supplement: Proceedings of the 4th Symposium on Canine Vector-Borne Diseases .

Review

Changing distribution patterns of canine vector borne diseases in Italy: leishmaniosis vs. dirofilariosis

Domenico Otranto^1* , Gioia Capelli^2* and Claudio Genchi^3*

¹  Department of Veterinary Public Health and Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano (Bari), Italy

²  Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro (PD), Italy

³  Department of Veterinary Pathology, Hygiene and Public Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy

author email corresponding author email* Contributed equally

Parasites & Vectors 2009, 2(Suppl 1):S2doi:10.1186/1756-3305-2-S1-S2

Published:	26 March 2009

Abstract

Ecological and climatic changes, human and animal population dynamics are among the several factors that have favoured the spread or the (re)introduction and establishment of "novel" vector species and pathogens they transmit in previously disease-free geographical areas. As key examples of the changing pattern of distribution of canine vector borne diseases (CVBDs), the current distribution of canine leishmaniosis (CanL) by Leishmania infantum and dirofilariosis by Dirofilaria immitis causing heart worm disease (HW) in Italy is discussed on the basis of retrospective historical reports until the 90's and later on until 2009. For long time, D. immitis has been considered mainly present along the Po River Valley and northward areas, while L. infantum in south-central Italy and Sicily and Sardinia. Comparison of current available and historical data (up to 1989) confirms that HW and CanL, although with different prevalence rates, have been changing their distribution patterns in Italy as a result of many biological and ecological factors, including those related to vector distribution and introduction of new species (e.g. the Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus, a competent vector of D. immitis). New autochthonous foci of HW in southern Italy (i.e. Apulia and Calabria regions) have recently been reported.

Although analysing retrospective data may represent a difficult task, the "paradigm" about the dual distribution of HW and CanL in northern and southern Italy cannot yet be considered valid. The research needs for managing HW and CanL in previously uninfected areas are discussed.