{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,21]],"date-time":"2026-07-21T16:25:56Z","timestamp":1784651156947,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":24,"publisher":"Springer Science and Business Media LLC","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,1]],"date-time":"2024-02-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1706745600000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,1]],"date-time":"2024-02-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1706745600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100006470","name":"Aristotle University of Thessaloniki","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100006470","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["link.springer.com"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Parasitol Res"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2024,2]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title><jats:p><jats:italic>Dirofilaria immitis<\/jats:italic> is a ubiquitous nematode parasite with zoonotic potential, transmitted by mosquitoes, that causes heartworm disease in various animal species. Dogs are the parasite\u2019s typical final host, and wild carnivores represent the parasite\u2019s reservoir in nature. Studies on <jats:italic>D. immitis<\/jats:italic> infections in wild animals are essential to assess infection pressure for domestic animals, and until now, there has been only one infection case reported in a European badger (<jats:italic>Meles meles<\/jats:italic>). The current report describes the first two European badger cases with cardiovascular dirofilariosis in Greece. Two adult male badgers were rescued in Heraklion and Chania, Crete Island, and admitted to \u201cANIMA -Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre\u201d in Athens. The detailed clinical examination revealed that the first badger suffered from severe broncho-pneumonitis while the second one displayed clinical signs associated with severe brain trauma. Blood samples were taken for haematology and biochemistry analyses during their short hospitalisation period. In addition, different routine diagnostic tests were carried out, including heartworm antigen testing (ELISA) and the modified Knott\u2019s test for microfilariae. Both badgers were positive in both tests. The animals died a few hours after their admission and the detailed necropsies followed, revealed the presence of three parasites in each animal\u2019s right heart, morphologically identified as adults of <jats:italic>D. immitis<\/jats:italic>. These findings add the European badger in the list of additional potential reservoir hosts for <jats:italic>D. immitis<\/jats:italic> and highlight the potential role of wildlife for companion animals and human health.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1007\/s00436-024-08141-0","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,1]],"date-time":"2024-02-01T03:02:40Z","timestamp":1706756560000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":13,"title":["Is the European badger a new host for Dirofilaria immitis? The first records in Greece"],"prefix":"10.1007","volume":"123","author":[{"given":"Grigorios","family":"Markakis","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Georgios","family":"Sioutas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dimitra","family":"Bitchava","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Anastasia","family":"Komnenou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Maria","family":"Ganoti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Elias","family":"Papadopoulos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"8141_CR1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"119","DOI":"10.2307\/3279620","volume":"64","author":"WC Campbell","year":"1978","unstructured":"Campbell WC, Blair LS (1978) Dirofilaria immitis: experimental infections in the ferret (Mustela putorius furo). J Parasitol 64:119\u2013122. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.2307\/3279620","journal-title":"J Parasitol"},{"key":"8141_CR2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1186\/s13071-016-1797-6","volume":"9","author":"A Diakou","year":"2016","unstructured":"Diakou A, Kapantaidakis E, Tamvakis A, Giannakis V, Strus N (2016) Dirofilaria infections in dogs in different areas of Greece. Parasit Vectors 9:1\u20137. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/s13071-016-1797-6","journal-title":"Parasit Vectors"},{"key":"8141_CR3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0010186","volume":"16","author":"EA Fotakis","year":"2022","unstructured":"Fotakis EA, Mavridis K, Kampouraki A et al (2022) Mosquito population structure, pathogen surveillance and insecticide resistance monitoring in urban regions of Crete, Greece. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 16:1\u201321. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pntd.0010186","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"key":"8141_CR4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"499","DOI":"10.1645\/GE-2178.1","volume":"96","author":"AP Furtado","year":"2010","unstructured":"Furtado AP, Melo FTV, Giese EG, Dos Santos JN (2010) Morphological redescription of Dirofilaria immitis. J Parasitol 96:499\u2013504. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1645\/GE-2178.1","journal-title":"J Parasitol"},{"key":"8141_CR5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"286","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vetpar.2009.03.026","volume":"163","author":"C Genchi","year":"2009","unstructured":"Genchi C, Rinaldi L, Mortarino M, Genchi M, Cringoli G (2009) Climate and Dirofilaria infection in Europe. Vet Parasitol 163:286\u2013292. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.vetpar.2009.03.026","journal-title":"Vet Parasitol"},{"key":"8141_CR6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"545","DOI":"10.7589\/0090-3558-30.4.545","volume":"30","author":"C Gortazar","year":"1994","unstructured":"Gortazar C, Castillo JA, Lucientes J, Blanco JC, Arriolabengoa A, Calvete C (1994) Factors affecting Dirofilaria immitis prevalence in red foxes in northeastern Spain. J Wildl Dis 30:545\u2013547. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.7589\/0090-3558-30.4.545","journal-title":"J Wildl Dis"},{"key":"8141_CR7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1468","DOI":"10.3201\/eid0812.010317","volume":"8","author":"DT Haydon","year":"2002","unstructured":"Haydon DT, Cleaveland S, Taylor LH, Laurenson MK (2002) Identifying reservoirs of infection: a conceptual and practical challenge. Emerg Infect Dis 8:1468\u20131473. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3201\/eid0812.010317","journal-title":"Emerg Infect Dis"},{"key":"8141_CR8","first-page":"133","volume":"30","author":"H Hoch","year":"2008","unstructured":"Hoch H, Strickland K (2008) Canine and feline dirofilariasis: life cycle, pathophysiology, and diagnosis. Compend Contin Educ Vet 30:133\u2013140","journal-title":"Compend Contin Educ Vet"},{"key":"8141_CR9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"229","DOI":"10.7589\/0090-3558-16.2.229","volume":"16","author":"GF Hubert","year":"1980","unstructured":"Hubert GF, Kick TJ, Andrews RD (1980) Dirofilaria immitis in red foxes in Illinois. J Wildl Dis 16:229\u2013232. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.7589\/0090-3558-16.2.229","journal-title":"J Wildl Dis"},{"key":"8141_CR10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","unstructured":"Ionic\u0103 AM, Deak G, Boncea R, Gherman CM, Mihalca AD (2022) The European badger as a new host for Dirofilaria immitis and an update on the distribution of the heartworm in wild carnivores from Romania. Pathogens 11:. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/pathogens11040420","DOI":"10.3390\/pathogens11040420"},{"key":"8141_CR11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1186\/s13071-017-2269-3","volume":"10","author":"AM Ionic\u01ce","year":"2017","unstructured":"Ionic\u01ce AM, Matei IA, D\u2019Amico G et al (2017) Filarioid infections in wild carnivores: a multispecies survey in Romania. Parasit Vectors 10:1\u20136. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/s13071-017-2269-3","journal-title":"Parasit Vectors"},{"key":"8141_CR12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","unstructured":"Magnis J, Lorentz S, Guardone L, et al (2013) Morphometric analyses of canine blood microfilariae isolated by the Knott\u2019s test enables Dirofilaria immitis and D. repens species-specific and Acanthocheilonema (syn. Dipetalonema) genus-specific diagnosis. Parasites and Vectors 6:1. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/1756-3305-6-48","DOI":"10.1186\/1756-3305-6-48"},{"key":"8141_CR13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1186\/s13071-020-04353-2","volume":"13","author":"B Moroni","year":"2020","unstructured":"Moroni B, Rossi L, Meneguz PG et al (2020) Dirofilaria immitis in wolves recolonizing northern Italy: are wolves competent hosts? Parasit Vectors 13:1\u20137. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/s13071-020-04353-2","journal-title":"Parasit Vectors"},{"key":"8141_CR14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1186\/1756-3305-6-16","volume":"6","author":"D Otranto","year":"2013","unstructured":"Otranto D, Dantas-Torres F, Brianti E et al (2013) Vector-borne helminths of dogs and humans in Europe. Parasit Vectors 6:1\u201314. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/1756-3305-6-16","journal-title":"Parasit Vectors"},{"key":"8141_CR15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"370","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijppaw.2018.12.011","volume":"9","author":"D Otranto","year":"2019","unstructured":"Otranto D, Deplazes P (2019) Zoonotic nematodes of wild carnivores. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 9:370\u2013383. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.ijppaw.2018.12.011","journal-title":"Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl"},{"key":"8141_CR16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"257","DOI":"10.1515\/helm-2017-0033","volume":"54","author":"E Papadopoulos","year":"2017","unstructured":"Papadopoulos E, Komnenou A, Poutachides T et al (2017) Detection of Dirofilaria immitis in a brown bear (Ursus arctos) in Greece. Helminthol 54:257\u2013261. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1515\/helm-2017-0033","journal-title":"Helminthol"},{"key":"8141_CR17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"243","DOI":"10.1017\/S0022149X00014413","volume":"68","author":"MG Papazahariadou","year":"1994","unstructured":"Papazahariadou MG, Koutinas AF, Rallis TS, Haralabidis ST (1994) Prevalence of microfilaraemia in episodic weakness and clinically normal dogs belonging to hunting breeds. J Helminthol 68:243\u2013245. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1017\/S0022149X00014413","journal-title":"J Helminthol"},{"key":"8141_CR18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"466","DOI":"10.1136\/vr.146.16.466","volume":"146","author":"ZS Polizopoulou","year":"2000","unstructured":"Polizopoulou ZS, Koutinas AF, Saridomichelakis MN et al (2000) Clinical and laboratory observations in 91 dogs infected with Dirofilaria immitis in northern Greece. Vet Rec 146:466\u2013469. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/vr.146.16.466","journal-title":"Vet Rec"},{"key":"8141_CR19","first-page":"87","volume":"57","author":"CP Roca","year":"2014","unstructured":"Roca CP, La Haye MJJ, Jongejans E (2014) Environmental drivers of the distribution and density of the European badger (Meles meles): a review. Lutra 57:87\u2013109","journal-title":"Lutra"},{"key":"8141_CR20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"308","DOI":"10.1007\/BF00366536","volume":"20","author":"L Rossi","year":"1996","unstructured":"Rossi L, Pollono F, Meneguz PG, Gribaudo L, Balbo T (1996) An epidemiological study of canine filarioses in North-West Italy: what has changed in 25 years? Vet Res Commun 20:308\u2013315. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/BF00366536","journal-title":"Vet Res Commun"},{"key":"8141_CR21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"507","DOI":"10.1128\/CMR.00012-12","volume":"25","author":"F Sim\u00f3n","year":"2012","unstructured":"Sim\u00f3n F, Siles-Lucas M, Morch\u00f3n R et al (2012) Human and animal dirofilariasis: the emergence of a zoonotic mosaic. Clin Microbiol Rev 25:507\u2013544. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1128\/CMR.00012-12","journal-title":"Clin Microbiol Rev"},{"key":"8141_CR22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"293","DOI":"10.1016\/S0065-308X(05)62009-X","volume":"62","author":"AJ Tatem","year":"2006","unstructured":"Tatem AJ, Rogers DJ, Hay SI (2006) Global transport networks and infectious disease spread. Adv Parasitol 62:293\u2013343. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/S0065-308X(05)62009-X","journal-title":"Adv Parasitol"},{"key":"8141_CR23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"339","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vetpar.2014.04.004","volume":"203","author":"Z Tolnai","year":"2014","unstructured":"Tolnai Z, Sz\u00e9ll Z, Sproch \u00c1, Szeredi L, Sr\u00e9ter T (2014) Dirofilaria immitis: an emerging parasite in dogs, red foxes and golden jackals in hungary. Vet Parasitol 203:339\u2013342. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.vetpar.2014.04.004","journal-title":"Vet Parasitol"},{"key":"8141_CR24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"166","DOI":"10.7589\/0090-3558-27.1.166","volume":"27","author":"MJ Wixsom","year":"1991","unstructured":"Wixsom MJ, Green SP, Corwin RM, Fritzell EK (1991) Dirofilaria immitis in coyotes and foxes in Missouri. J Wildl Dis 27:166\u2013169. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.7589\/0090-3558-27.1.166","journal-title":"J Wildl Dis"}],"container-title":["Parasitology Research"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/content\/pdf\/10.1007\/s00436-024-08141-0.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/s00436-024-08141-0\/fulltext.html","content-type":"text\/html","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/content\/pdf\/10.1007\/s00436-024-08141-0.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,8]],"date-time":"2024-03-08T21:48:35Z","timestamp":1709934515000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/10.1007\/s00436-024-08141-0"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2024,2]]},"references-count":24,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2024,2]]}},"alternative-id":["8141"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s00436-024-08141-0","relation":{},"ISSN":["0932-0113","1432-1955"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0932-0113","type":"print"},{"value":"1432-1955","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2024,2]]},"assertion":[{"value":"13 November 2023","order":1,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"23 January 2024","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"1 February 2024","order":3,"name":"first_online","label":"First Online","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"order":1,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Declarations"}},{"value":"Ethical review and approval were waived for this study because the article is a case report describing rescue treatments performed by licensed veterinarians to restore the badgers\u2019 health and welfare. Collection of blood samples was carried out by veterinarians adhering to the regulations and guidelines on animal husbandry and welfare. The badgers were admitted to ANIMA, Association for Wildlife Care and Protection which is a nationally and legally recognised non-profit association for the nursing and rehabilitation of wild animals.","order":2,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Ethics approval"}},{"value":"All authors consent to participate in this publication.","order":3,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Consent to participate"}},{"value":"All authors consent to publish the manuscript.","order":4,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Consent for publication"}},{"value":"The authors declare no competing interests.","order":5,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Competing interests"}}],"article-number":"118"}}