• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.177-181
• /
• 1999

This study was undertaken to clarify the more accurate detecting method of Dirofilaria immitis. Seven dogs, average 7.47 years old, confirmed with Dirofilaria immitis infection by modified Knott's method were used as the experimental animals. cDNA was constructed using oligodT(15) primer after extracting total RNA from the blood of dogs that were confirmed with Dirofilaria immitis infection. As a result of polymerase chain reaction with template using constructed cDNA, the predicted products of a 378 base-pair DNA fragment was amplified. From these results, RT-PCR was more sensitive and effective than modified Knott's method to detect Dirofilaria immitis in dogs.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
• /
• v.43 no.1
• /
• pp.1-6
• /
• 2020

Unlike previous studies that reported the infection rates of Dirofilaria immitis in companion dogs, D. immitis genes were tested directly on mosquitoes to see how many mosquitoes actually carry larvae. Mosquito samples were collected from six parks in Incheon from March to August 2018. A total of 18,589 mosquitoes was collected, classified by type and then made 575 sample pools based on 50 mosquitoes. The PCR method was used to detect Dirofilaria immitis genes of sample pools. Dirofilaria immitis genes were detected in 7 of the 575 pools, and these positive mosquito samples were collected in 4 out of the 6 parks. The types of detected mosquitoes were Aedes dorsalis and Ochlerotatus koreanus which have been identified to act as a vector for heart worm propagation in Incheon. Based on these results, it was concluded that D. immitis genes were found in mosquitoes in the neighborhood park.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.42 no.4
• /
• pp.545-550
• /
• 2002

The raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) may be infected by Dirofilaria immitis. However, there has been no report on dirofilarial infection in the raccoon dog in Korea. In this study, we report on D. immitis infection in two wild raccoon dogs captured in the Daejeon area. The two raccoon dogs were referred to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Chungnam National University for diagnosis of D. immitis infection. The modified Knott's test for the detection of blood D. immitis microfilariae was positive, and serological test (FASTest$^{(R)}$ HW Antigen ELISA kit, Diagnostik Mega Cor, Austria) for D. immitis was positive as well. Additionally, D. immitis microfilariae were differentiated from other microfilariae by using acid phrnphatase histochemical staining (Leucognost-SP$^{(R)}$kit, Diagncstica MERCK, Germany). The two raccoon dogs were necropsed and D. immitis infection was confirmed.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.54 no.3
• /
• pp.265-272
• /
• 2016

Wolbachia is an obligatory intracellular endosymbiotic bacterium, present in over 20% of all insects altering insect reproductive capabilities and in a wide range of filarial worms which is essential for worm survival and reproduction. In Egypt, no available data were found about Wolbachia searching for it in either mosquitoes or filarial worms. Thus, we aimed to identify the possible concurrent presence of Wolbachia within different mosquitoes and filarial parasites, in Assiut Governorate, Egypt using multiplex PCR. Initially, 6 pools were detected positive for Wolbachia by single PCR. The simultaneous detection of Wolbachia and filarial parasites (Wuchereria bancrofti, Dirofilaria immitis, and Dirofilaria repens) by multiplex PCR was spotted in 5 out of 6 pools, with an overall estimated rate of infection (ERI) of 0.24%. Unexpectedly, the highest ERI (0.53%) was for Anopheles pharoensis with related Wolbachia and W. bancrofti, followed by Aedes (0.42%) and Culex (0.26%). We also observed that Wolbachia altered Culex spp. as a primary vector for W. bancrofti to be replaced by Anopheles sp. Wolbachia within filaria-infected mosquitoes in our locality gives a hope to use bacteria as a new control trend simultaneously targeting the vector and filarial parasites.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
• /
• v.36 no.4
• /
• pp.327-332
• /
• 2013

A survey of canine heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) infection among 102 Jindo dogs was performed from September to October 1995, using a microfilarial test (modified Knott's test) and an antigen test (DiroCHEK, Synbiotics, USA). The infection rate of 102 Jindo dogs was 1.9% (2/102) by the modified Knott's test, but was 4.9% (5/102) by the antigen test. This result revealed that the antigen test is more accurate than the microfilarial test. Also, 222 Jindo dogs (Male 61, Female 161) were examined for Dirofilaria immitis infection from 1995 to 1997 using an antigen test (DiroCHEK, Synbiotics, USA). Twelve (5.4%) Jindo dogs were positive for Dirofilaria immitis antigen. The infection rates were higher than in male (6.6%, 4/61) than female dogs (5.0%, 8/161). The infection rates of heartworm in Jindo dogs at the age of under 1 year, 1~2 years and over 2 years old were 0.0% (0/39), 4.3% (5/115) and 10.3% (7/68), respectively. The older age had higher infection rates than the younger age (P=0.018). The infection rates of canine heartworm was reported to be the highest (17.6%, P=0.028) in Jodo-myeon, 10.6% in Uisin-myeon and 5.3% in limhoe-myun. But dogs with antigenemia weren't detected in Gogun-myeon. and Jisan-myeon. This study indicates that the prevalence of canine heartworm in Jindo-gun is lower than previously reported (3.1% and 12.3%) which utilized microfilarial tests.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.52 no.1
• /
• pp.53-56
• /
• 2012

Dirofilaria (D.) immitis is an important canine parasitic nematode in dogs. D. immitis parasitizes the right ventricle and pulmonary artery of dogs. An ivermectin and pyrantel pamoate compound (IPPC) was administered to dogs naturally infected with this parasite. IPPC is composed of 68.0, 136.0 and $272.0{\mu}g$ of ivermectin and 57.0, 114.0 and 227.0 mg pyrantel pamoate for small, middle, and large animals. Ivermectin has activity against nematodes and ectoparasites in dogs. Pyrantel pamoate is also effective against nematodes in dogs. Our results showed that this drug combination has good efficacy in D. immitis infected dogs.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.53 no.3
• /
• pp.329-333
• /
• 2015

The emergence of dirofilarial infections in Asia including Vietnam is a clinically significant threat to the community. We here report a rare case of subcutaneous Dirofilaria repens infection on the posterior thoracic wall in a young woman presenting a painful, itchy, and palpable nodule. The adult worm was identified by mitochondrial cox1 and nuclear ITS-2 sequence determination. The diagnosis was additionally confirmed by 16S rRNA sequencing of the endosymbiont Wolbachia pipientis commonly co-existing with D. repens. This is a rare case of subcutaneous human infection on the posterior thoracic region caused by D. repens.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.51 no.3
• /
• pp.375-377
• /
• 2013

In the present study, we first report the seroprevalence of Dirofilaria immitis in dogs in Shenyang, northeastern China. Sera from 528 randomly selected dogs were examined for D. immitis antigen using SNAP$^{(R)}$4Dx test kit; 12.7% tested showed seropositive. No significant difference of infection was observed in different genders and breeds (P>0.05), but the difference was significant in different age groups and rearing conditions (P<0.05). The result suggested that the risk of exposure to D. immitis in dogs is high in Shenyang, and should be given attention.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.43 no.2 s.134
• /
• pp.65-67
• /
• 2005

The intestines and hearts of dogs were examined for Toxocara canis, Toxascaris leonina, and Dirofilaria immitis, after necropsy between June 26 and September 29, 2004 in Chuncheon, Korea. Of the 662 dogs examined, 6 were infected with T. canis $(0.9\%),\;86\;with\;T.\;leonina\;(13.0\%)$. Fifty dogs were infected with D. immitis among 500 dogs examined $(10.0\%)$. Five were co-infected with T. canis and T. leonina, and three were co-infected with T. leonina and D. immitis. The cumulative positive infection rate for three species was $134/662(20.2\%)$. Considering previously reported seropositive rates of T. canis excretory-secretory antigen, i.e., $5\%$ in the adult population in Korea, the possibility of toxocariasis caused by T. leonina should be reevaluated.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.54 no.1
• /
• pp.53-54
• /
• 2014

This study was conducted to determine the serum cardiac troponin I (cTnI) concentrations in clinically normal (uninfected) Korean Jindo dogs and those infected with Dirofilaria (D.) immitis. Forty Korean Jindo dogs (22 females, 18 males) were obtained from two kennels in the Boryeong area of Chungnam Province and the Daejeon area, Korea. Significantly higher cTnI concentrations were observed in D. immitis-infected dogs than clinically normal dogs. cTnI testing in addition to thoracic radiography, echocardiography, and electrocardiography shows promise as an additional method for diagnosis of heartworm infection.