Otranto Domenico, Cantacessi Cinzia, Mallia Egidio, Lia Riccardo Paolo
Department of Animal Health and Welfare, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Strada P.le per Casamassima Km. 3, 70010, Valenzano (Bari), Italy.
J Wildl Dis. 2007 Jul;43(3):508-11. doi: 10.7589/0090-3558-43.3.508.
Thelazia callipaeda (Spirurida, Thelaziidae) infects the eyes of humans and rabbits as well of domestic and wild carnivores (i.e., dogs, cats, and foxes). The first three cases of infection by T. callipaeda eyeworms in wolves (Canis lupus) are here described with up to 96 nematodes collected from a single animal. The host competence of wolf was demonstrated by the retrieval of adult worms in the eyes of all examined animals. All nematodes collected were evaluated by morphologic and molecular techniques. Sequence analysis of the partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene (cox1) confirmed that only one haplotype of T. callipaeda was present. The competence of wolves as a definitive host for T. callipaeda is discussed in view of the relevance of wild fauna in maintaining and spreading eyeworm infection in humans and domestic animals.
结膜吸吮线虫（旋尾目，吸吮科）可感染人类、家兔以及家养和野生食肉动物（如狗、猫和狐狸）的眼睛。本文描述了狼（犬属）感染结膜吸吮线虫眼虫的前三例病例，从一只动物身上采集到了多达96条线虫。通过在所有检查动物的眼睛中检索到成虫，证实了狼作为宿主的易感性。对所有采集到的线虫进行了形态学和分子技术评估。线粒体细胞色素c氧化酶亚基1基因（cox1）部分序列分析证实，仅存在结膜吸吮线虫的一个单倍型。鉴于野生动物在维持和传播人类和家畜眼虫感染方面的相关性，讨论了狼作为结膜吸吮线虫终末宿主的易感性。
