Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
- 제34권4호
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- Pages.225-232
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- 1996
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- 2982-5164(pISSN)
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- 1738-0006(eISSN)
국내 독일세퍼드(German shepherd)종의 개심장사상충 감염실태
A survey of canine heartworm infections among German shepherds in South Korea
초록
전국 5개 지역에서 사육되고 있는 German shepherd종 개 127두(암컷 56. 수컷 71두)를 대상으로 필라리아자충검사법(modified Knott's test)과 성충항원검사법(
A survey of canine heartworm (nirofilaria inmitis) infections among German shepherds in five areas of South Korea was performed from October 1994 to August 1995 using a microfilarial test (modified Knott's test) and an antigen test (DiroCHEKⓑ Synbiotics, USA). The infection rate of 127 German shepherds (71 males and 56 females) was 10.2% (13/127) by the microfilarial test, but was 28.3% (36/127) by the antigen test, revealing that 24 of the 36 antigen-positive dogs were microfilaria-negative in the peripheral blood . All dogs that were microfilaria-positive were also antigen-positive. Three of the microfilaria-negative and antigen-positive dogs contained 4-15 adult heartworms in the heart and pulmonary arteries upon necropsy. The infection rate among German shepherds was the highest in Hoengsong-gun (Kangwon-do, 84.4%) , while those of Yechon-gun (Kyongsangbuk-do) and Chungwon-gun (Chungchongbuk-do) areas were 20.0% and 14.3%, respectively. None of the dogs in the Kimhae-shi (Kyongsangnam-do) and Kwangiu areas was heartworm positive. The infection rates of heartworm in dogs at the age of 1-3, 4-6. and 7-11 years were 6.3%, 21.4%, and 56.4%, respectively. Based on the fact that the antigen test is more accurate than the microfilarial test, this study strongly indicates that the prevalence rate of canine heartworm in Korea may be higher than previously reported (3.1-23.0%) which utilized microfilarial tests.