BACKGROUND: Human dirofilariasis is a zoonotic infection that continues to spread to previously unaffected areas of Europe. In the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic (CR), imported as well as autochthonous canine infections were recorded in the last decade, and parasite DNA was detected in mosquitoes of Aedes vexans. In the present paper, human Dirofilaria infections are reported from the country for the first time. CASE PRESENTATION: The samples from five patients with suspected tissue helminthiases were investigated. In particular cases, nematodes were isolated from various tissues including skin of lower leg, soft tissues of finger, subcutaneous tissue of hypogastrium, lymph node and peritoneum. The diagnosis was based on light microscopic morphology and/or DNA analysis of the worms. In addition, ELISA examination of patients' sera for anti-filaria IgG antibodies was performed. CONCLUSIONS: In the CR, five cases of human dirofilariasis caused by Dirofilaria repens were recorded during 2010-2014 (species determination for three of them was confirmed besides morphological also by DNA analysis). At least, three of the cases were of autochthonous origin (the patients are Czech citizens residing in South Moravian Region who have never travelled abroad). The findings confirm the natural setting of D. repens in South Moravian Region of the CR. Dirofilariasis should be therefore considered as endemic in this area where it may represent a significant risk factor for public health.

• Klíčová slova
• Autochthonous diseases in Czech Republic, Dirofilaria repens, Emerging disease, Human dirofilariasis,
• MeSH
• Dirofilaria repens genetika   izolace a purifikace   metabolismus   MeSH
• dirofilarióza diagnóza   parazitologie   patologie   MeSH
• DNA helmintů genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• ELISA MeSH
• imunoglobulin G krev   MeSH
• kůže parazitologie   patologie   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• polymerázová řetězová reakce MeSH
• protilátky helmintové krev   MeSH
• RNA ribozomální 5S genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• subkutánní tkáň parazitologie   patologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH
• Názvy látek
• DNA helmintů MeSH
• imunoglobulin G MeSH
• protilátky helmintové MeSH
• RNA ribozomální 5S MeSH