https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/o:2215 Occurrence of Thelazia callipaeda and its vector Phortica variegata in Austria and South Tyrol, Italy, and a global comparison by phylogenetic network analysis Unterköfler, Maria Sophia Maria Sophia Unterköfler 0000-0003-2947-1423 University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Fuehrer, Hans-Peter Hans-Peter Fuehrer 0000-0002-4178-0133 University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Silbermayr, Katja Katja Silbermayr Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH Otranto, Domenico Domenico Otranto University of Bari Bezerra-Santos, Marcos Antonio Marcos Antonio Bezerra-Santos University of Bari Schlüsslmayr, Gerhard Gerhard Schlüsslmayr Harl, Josef Josef Harl 0000-0002-4915-3943 University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Duscher, Georg Gerhard Georg Gerhard Duscher 0000-0002-3486-5470 University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Hodžić, Adnan Adnan Hodžić University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna / University of Vienna Wortha, Licha Natalia Licha Natalia Wortha University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Zittra, Carina Carina Zittra 0000-0002-8963-6421 University of Vienna Staufer, Katalina Katalina Staufer University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Huck, Alexandra Alexandra Huck Small Animal Practice Dr. Alexandra Huck Eberle, Antonia Antonia Eberle University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Lindorfer, Sarah Sarah Lindorfer University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Dengg, Patrick Patrick Dengg University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Niederbacher, Miriam Miriam Niederbacher University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna BMC text eng The zoonotic nematode Thelazia callipaeda infects the eyes of domestic and wild animals and uses canids as primary hosts. It was originally described in Asia, but in the last 20 years it has been reported in many European countries, where it is mainly transmitted by the drosophilid fruit fly Phortica variegata. We report the autochthonous occurrence of T. callipaeda and its vector P. variegata in Austria. Nematodes were collected from clinical cases and fruit flies were caught using traps, netting, and from the conjunctival sac of one dog. Fruit flies and nematodes were morphologically identified and a section of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (COI) was analysed. A DNA haplotype network was calculated to visualize the relation of the obtained COI sequences to published sequences. Additionally, Phortica spp. were screened for the presence of DNA of T. callipaeda by polymerase chain reaction. Thelazia callipaeda and P. variegata were identified in Burgenland, Lower Austria, and Styria. Thelazia callipaeda was also documented in Vienna and P. variegata in Upper Austria and South Tyrol, Italy. All T. callipaeda corresponded to haplotype 1. Twenty-two different haplotypes of P. variegata were identified in the fruit flies. One sequence was distinctly different from those of Phortica variegata and was more closely related to those of Phortica chi and Phortica okadai. Thelazia callipaeda could not be detected in any of the Phortica specimens. Molecular Characterization; Lacrymalis Nematoda; Intermediate Host; Spirurida; Diptera; Transmission; Morphology; Primers; Biology; Europe http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/api/object/o:2215/download 10.1186/s13071-023-05913-y https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/o:605 application/pdf Parasites & Vectors 16(1) (2023) Parasites & Vectors 16 1 2.37 MB 2023