Publications

nematode biology and larval development of thelazia callipaeda (spirurida, thelaziidae) in the drosophilid intermediate host in europe and china.	thelazia callipaeda, commonly known as the 'oriental eyeworm', has been recently reported in italy and other european countries. the insect/s that act as intermediate hosts and details of larval development inside the vector remain unclear. in order to (1) demonstrate the species of fly that may act as vector/s for t. callipaeda in southern italy (site a) and china (site b) and (2) describe the larval development of the nematode in the body of flies, 847 phortica (drosophilidae) flies were colle ...	2005	16336738
the zoophilic fruitfly phortica variegata: morphology, ecology and biological niche.	flies belonging to the subfamily steganinae (drosophilidae) display unusual zoophilic feeding habits at the adult and/or larval stage. phortica variegata (fallén) feeds on tears or eye liquid around the eyes of humans and carnivores. when feeding it is a potential vector of thelazia callipaeda (railliet and henry) eyeworms. adult and larval stages of this fly may be easily confused with other species belonging to the same genus, and little is known on the biology and ecology of p. variegata. in ...	2006	17199746
phortica variegata as an intermediate host of thelazia callipaeda under natural conditions: evidence for pathogen transmission by a male arthropod vector.	knowledge about phortica variegata (drosophilidae, steganinae), the intermediate host of the eyeworm thelazia callipaeda (spirurida, thelaziidae), is confined to experimental studies. to investigate the role p. variegata plays in the transmission of t. callipaeda under natural conditions, the population dynamics of these flies in the natural environment and their feeding preferences (on vegetables and/or animal lachrymal secretions) were examined. from april to november 2005, a total number of 9 ...	2006	16842795
first reports of autochthonous eyeworm infection by thelazia callipaeda (spirurida, thelaziidae) in dogs and cat from france.	thelazia callipaeda (spirurida, thelaziidae) is a small nematode living in the conjunctival sac of domestic and wild carnivores, rabbits and humans causing lacrimation, epiphora, conjunctivitis, keratitis and even corneal ulcers. the first autochthonous cases of thelaziosis affecting four dogs and one cat living in south western france (dordogne area) are reported and described. nematodes recovered from the animals were morphologically identified as t. callipaeda and a partial region of the cyto ...	2007	17854998
molecular identification of phortica variegata and phortica semivirgo (drosophilidae, steganinae) by pcr-rflp of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase c subunit i gene.		2008	18581143
molecular characterization and phylogenesis of steganinae (diptera, drosophilidae) inferred by the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1.	the subfamily steganinae (diptera, drosophilidae) includes flies which display zoophilic feeding behaviour in the larval and/or adult stages, some of which act as vectors of spirurida eyeworms, which infect both carnivores and humans. to date, the taxonomy and phylogeny of the subfamily steganinae has been studied only superficially and many aspects of their systematics remain unresolved. thus, the present study aimed to provide a molecular dataset to facilitate the identification and phylogenet ...	2008	18380652
thelazia callipaeda (spirurida, thelaziidae) in wild animals: report of new host species and ecological implications.	thelazia callipaeda infects the eyes of carnivores and humans in far eastern asiatic and european countries. studies have demonstrated the occurrence of t. callipaeda in foxes from areas where canine thelaziosis is endemic. however, there is little information on the role of wild carnivores as hosts of this nematode. from may 2003 to may 2009, a total of 130 carcasses of red foxes (vulpes vulpes; n=75), wolves (canis lupus; n=2), beech martens (martes foina; n=22), brown hares (lepus europaeus; ...	2009	19782474
first report of canine ocular thelaziosis by thelazia callipaeda in portugal.	thelazia callipaeda eyeworms are transmitted by the non-biting insect vector phortica variegata in europe and infest the conjunctiva(s) of several mammalians, including dogs and humans. infested hosts might remain asymptomatic or display clinical manifestations characterized by variable degrees of severity.	2012	22720837
first laboratory culture of phortica variegata (diptera, steganinae), a vector of thelazia callipaeda.		2012	23181872
thelazia callipaeda (spirurida: thelaziidae): first report in greece and a case of canine infection.	the eyeworm thelazia callipaeda has been reported in different european countries, i.e. italy, france, germany, switzerland, spain, portugal, bosnia and herzegovina, croatia and romania. the present article describes the first autochthonous case of ocular thelaziosis in a dog from greece, thus revealing a new spot of infection in europe. the dog in this case report, most likely infected at the northern borders of greece, was referred to a private veterinary practice with conjunctivitis, oedema, ...	2015	25843574
transmission of the eyeworm thelazia callipaeda: between fantasy and reality.	thelazia callipaeda is transmitted by phortica variegata, a drosophilid that feeds on lachrymal secretions of mammals. scientific information on human thelaziosis is still relatively limited, mainly for physicians and ophthalmologists. indeed, the literature is full of misleading information on the transmission of t. callipaeda to humans.	2015	25966940
emergence of thelazia callipaeda infection in dogs and cats from east-central portugal.	the eyeworm thelazia callipaeda (spirurida, thelaziidae) infects domestic animals, wildlife and human beings, and is considered an emerging pathogen in europe. this study aimed at investigating the prevalence and risk factors of t. callipaeda infection in dogs and cats from east-central portugal, a region where the parasite was previously detected in two red foxes (vulpes vulpes). thelazia callipaeda was found in 22 (3.8%) of 586 dogs and in four (23.5%) of 17 cats. a total of 178 adult worms (7 ...	2016	25382165
first report of thelazia callipaeda infection in wild european rabbits (oryctolagus cuniculus) in portugal.	thelazia callipaeda is a zoonotic nematode that affects the eyes of domestic and wild animals, including dogs, cats and red foxes. this parasitic eye worm is transmitted by phortica variegata, which is a zoophilic fruit fly spread in europe. two wild european rabbits (oryctolagus cuniculus) found dead in north-eastern portugal were submitted to necropsy.	2016	27160400