Clinical and parasitological significance of thelaziosis in dogs and cats
2025
Milić, Milan Hadži | Lešević, Andjelka | Krivokuća, Petar | Jovanović, Nemanja | Ilić, Tamara
Thelaziosis is an eye disease of parasitic etiology, caused by nematodes from the genus Thelazia (Spirurida, Thelaziidae). In addition to domestic animals (cattle, horses, dogs and cats), the disease also occurs in wild animals, mammals and birds. Thelazia nematodes have zoonotic potential and can be transmitted from animals (most often dogs) to humans through the population of intermediate hosts – fruit flies from the Drosophilidae family. Infection with the species Thelazia callipaeda has an endemic character, and the disease mainly occurs Europe in the period from May to October, when the activity of the intermediate hosts of this nematode is increased. The presence of these parasites in dogs and cats in Serbia is expected, given that the climatic conditions in this epizootiological area are identical to those in the countries where autochthonous cases of thelaziosis have been reported. The disease is accompanied by increased ocular discharge, conjunctivitis and keratitis. Diagnosis of thelaziosis can be very simple in cases of high intensity infections, when the parasites are observed macroscopically in the dog’s eye. In some cases, allergic or bacterial conjunctivitis, from which thelaziosis is difficult to distinguish, can complicate the diagnosis of this parasitosis.
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