Wolbachia in Dirofilaria repens, an Agent Causing Human Subcutaneous Dirofilariasis

摘要

Human subcutaneous dirofilariasis is an increasingly reported zoonosis caused by several filarial species in particular by Dirofilaria (Nochtiella) repens. Like many filarial worms, D. repens harbors the bacterial endosymbiont Wolbachia that has been implicated in the inflammatory features of filarial infection. Immunohistochemical staining against the Wolbachia surface protein (WSP) was carried out on 14 skin nodules and showed numerous bacteria within the intact worms and occasional positive staining within the surrounding inflammatory infiltrate. Serum samples from 11 of these patient resulted positive for total immunoblobulin G titers against WSP as examined ill enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. This is the first description of Wolbachia distribution in D. repens and the first report of Specific immune response to Wolbachia ill patients With subcutaneous dirofilaria.