In the past few decades, the relevance of Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens,
causing cardiopulmonary and subcutaneous dirofilariosis in dogs and cats, and of Angiostrongylus
vasorum, causing canine angiostrongylosis, has steadily increased in Central and Northern
Europe. In this review, a summary of published articles and additional reports dealing
with imported or autochthonous cases of these parasites is provided for Central (Austria,
Czechia, Germany, Hungary, Luxemburg, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Switzerland)
and Northern (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) Europe. Research efforts
focusing on Dirofilaria spp. and A. vasorum have varied by country, and cross-border
studies are few. The housing conditions of dogs, pet movements, the spread of competent
vectors, and climate change are important factors in the spread of these nematodes.
Dogs kept outside overnight are a major factor for the establishment of Dirofilaria
spp. However, the establishment of invasive, diurnal, synanthropic, competent mosquito
vectors such as Aedes albopictus may also influence the establishment of Dirofilaria
spp. The drivers of the spread of A. vasorum remain not fully understood, but it seems
to be influenced by habitats shared with wild canids, dog relocation, and possibly
climatic changes; its pattern of spreading appears to be similar in different countries.
Both Dirofilaria spp. and A. vasorum merit further monitoring and research focus in
Europe.
