Global warming has caused an expansion of dirofi-
lariasis2
, and a growing number of autochthonous
cases have been diagnosed in the northern part of Europe
and throughout the world.Coupled with the
importation of animals and the increase in traveling
pets during vacations, there is an enhanced risk for
new autochthonous cases of canine dirofilariasis in
regions that were previously considered to be free of
the disease.1 For instance, an incidence of 7.7% micro-
filaria infested dogs imported from the Mediterranean
region to Germany has been reported