Estudios sobre la infección por Thelazia callipaeda en el perro y el gato y su vector Phortica variegata en España

Résumé

Thelazia callipaeda is a nematode responsible for eye infections in a wide range of mammals. In Europe, the competent vector is a non-biting drosophila fly, Phortica variegata, which transmits the parasite by feeding on the host ocular secretions.Thelaziosis is considered an emerging zoonosis due to the increase in the number of cases in animals and people in recent years.The main objective of this Doctoral Thesis was to design studies to broaden the knowledge of the vector of this emerging parasitosis, and its impact on the health of dogs and cats. Entomological samplings were carried out in three geographical areas of Spain toinvestigate the role of P. variegata as a vector in the transmission of T. callipaeda under natural conditions. Flies were captured, identified, and dissected to assess the presence of third-stage larvae (L3) of T. callipaeda. By dissection, two L3 of T. callipaeda were detected in the proboscis of two flies. In addition, 371 specimens from La Vera, Caceres, were analysed by molecular techniques, detecting T. callipaeda DNA in 28 of them (7.5%)...