Is dirofilariosis an emerging conservation threat in wild carnivores across the Palearctic?

Abstract

Dirofilaria species are mosquito-borne filarial nematodes, with a high veterinary and public health importance, but growing evidence also indicates their frequent occurrence in wildlife. Wild animals may play an important role in the maintenance, transmission and spread of dirofilariosis, but we have little understanding of the ecological and environmental processes that drive infection dynamics in these hosts. Here, we summarise the current knowledge about the distribution of Dirofilaria spp. across carnivore host species and geographic localities in the Palearctic region. This summary highlights that some of these sylvatic species may be important reservoirs of the pathogen, and identifies research trends and biases in the surveillance and monitoring of this host–parasite system in the wild. Furthermore, we provide directions for future research for a better understanding of the threat these parasites may pose to wild mammals.