First molecularly confirmed Angiostrongylus vasorum infection in a dog in Estonia: Translocation risks and diagnostic pitfalls

Abstract

Canine angiostrongylosis is a life-threatening disease caused by infection with the metastrongyloid nematode Angiostrongylus vasorum . As animal travel and translocation have increased in recent times, many infectious agents, including A. vasorum , have expanded to new geographic areas. Here we report the first molecularly confirmed case of angiostrongylosis in a translocated dog in Estonia. We also analyse the phylogenetic relationship of the isolate with previously described European isolates and describe the challenges encountered in diagnosing this disease. Given the expanding geographic distribution of A. vasorum across Europe, our findings underscore the need for improved diagnostic awareness to control the parasite’s transmission.