Canine and human Dirofilaria infections in the Balkan Peninsula

•The review examined the situation of canine and human Dirofilaria infections in the Balkan Peninsula.•The data confirms the presence of the infection.•It suggests the need of a preventive treatment in dogs, regardless of the actual prevalence.

Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens infections are mosquito-borne diseases, mainly of dogs. Both parasites are zoonotic, and they sometimes cause serious infections in humans. The aim of this short review was to examine the situation in the Balkan Peninsula, from where it is not always easy to obtain suitable data, often reported in journals and other publications difficult to be retrieved and with poor or no visibility. The review included data from international and regional literature, doctoral theses, and conference proceedings.