• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.303-306
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• 2008

Unknown age, spayed female mixed dog was presented with a severe lethargy. Radiography, ultrasonography, and blood screen test were performed to make a diagnosis. There were no specific radiographic findings. On the ultrasonography, small amount of ascites was found around gallbladder and hepatic vein was dilated approximately 6.1 mm. Blood screen test revealed a severe anemia. Result of heartworm ELISA kit was positive. At necropsy, parasites were in the left atrium, right ventricles, aorta, pulmonary artery, right renal artery.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.79-83
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• 2001

Dirofilaria immitis parasitizes mainly in the pulmonary arteries and in the heart of dogs and cats. The parasite is also of public health importance, because it often elicits nodules in the pulmonary parenchyma and in the subcutaneous tissues, or sometimes parasitize itself in the eyes of human. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of heartworm infection among 165 dogs on three breeding farms in the vicinity of Seoul, Korea. Of 165 dogs, 83 dogs (50.3%) were infected with the parasite, as revealed by an antigen-detecting test using the peripheral blood. Of these, 23 dogs (20.2%) contained microfilaria using the peripheral blood, which are potential source of transmission to uninfected animals and to humans in the endemic area. None of infected dogs showed any clinical signs associated with the disease. Since the three farms were located in the vicinity of Seoul, the unexpectedly high infection rate could imply that the possibility of exposure of both animals and humans living in the metropolitan Seoul area to the parasite is higher than in the other area of Korea.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.645-650
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• 2013

A simple, rapid, and high-throughput method for detection and identification of Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi, Brugia pahangi, and Dirofilaria immitis in mosquito vectors and blood samples was developed using a real-time PCR combined with high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis. Amplicons of the 4 filarial species were generated from 5S rRNA and spliced leader sequences by the real-time PCR and their melting temperatures were determined by the HRM method. Melting of amplicons from W. bancrofti, B. malayi, D. immitis, and B. pahangi peaked at $81.5{\pm}0.2^{\circ}C$, $79.0{\pm}0.3^{\circ}C$, $76.8{\pm}0.1^{\circ}C$, and $79.9{\pm}0.1^{\circ}C$, respectively. This assay is relatively cheap since it does not require synthesis of hybridization probes. Its sensitivity and specificity were 100%. It is a rapid and technically simple approach, and an important tool for population surveys as well as molecular xenomonitoring of parasites in vectors.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.631-634
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• 2010

This study was conducted to survey Dirofilaria (D.) immitis antigen, and Anaplasma (A.) phagocytophilum, Borrelia (B.) burgdorferi, and Ehrlichia (E.) canis antibodies among clinically healthy dogs in the Daejeon city and Kangwon province. Whole blood samples were collected from two hundred and fifty two dogs (127 females and 125 males, 147 outdoors and 105 indoors), and they were tested by using ELISA kit (SNAP 4Dx, IDEXX Laboratories, USA). Chi-squared analysis showed that A. phagocytophilum of female dogs in outdoors group was significantly higher prevalence than that of female dogs in indoors group (p < 0.05). In addition, infection rate of A. phagocytophilum of over 7 year-old-dogs in outdoors group revealed significantly higher prevalence than that of indoors group (p < 0.01). In E. canis, the under 4 year-old-dogs (p < 0.05), 4~7 year-old-dogs (p < 0.05) and over 7 year-old-dogs (p < 0.01) in outdoor group showed significantly higher prevalence than that of indoors group, respectively. In conclusion, this study is the large scale survey of canine D. immitis antigen, A. phagocytophilum, B. burgdorferi, and E. canis antibodies in the Daejeon city and Kangwon province, and it provides an useful reference for clinicians.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.507-516
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• 2003

This study was performed to clarify the induction possibility of anaphylactoid reactions by the administration with the heartworm extracts, and, if any, to elucidate different virulences in terms of the protein concentrdtions and sexes of Dirofilaria immitis. Twenty three clinically healthy D. immitis-free adult dogs were used in the present study. The experimental animals were divided into 5 groups. Group A (5 heads) was administered with an female heartworm extract containing 0.1 g/dl protein concentration. Group B (4 heads) was administered with an male heartworm extract containing 0.1g/dl protein concentration. Group C (5 heads) was administered with an female heartworm extract containing 0.2 g/dl protein concentration. Group D (4 heads) was administered with an male heartworm extract containing 0.2 g/dl protein concentration. Group E (5 heads) was administered with an female heartworm extract containing 0.4 g/dl protein concentration. The changes of clinical symptoms and vital signs (body temperature, heart rate and respiration rate) were examined before and 5 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours and 24 hours after injection with the extracts, respectively. In addition, the changes of hematological values (RBC, PCV and total leukocytes counts), serum chemical values (ALP and CK) were determined. It was considered that heartworm extract could induce anaphylactoid reaction and adult female heartworm extract was more affective than those of adult male heartworm extract in the changes of clinical symptoms, vital signs, hematological values and serum chemical values.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Veterinary Clinics Conference
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• 2008.10a
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• pp.147-147
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• 2008

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Veterinary Clinics Conference
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• 2008.10a
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• pp.148-148
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• 2008

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Veterinary Clinics Conference
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• 2007.10a
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• pp.626-626
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• 2007

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.79-83
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• 2005

Six dogs including 4 dogs living in different geographic locations of Kangwon province and 2 client-owned dogs were used to determine the periodicity of microfilariae of D. immitis using a trigonometric model. The calculated periodicity index was ranged from 25.6 to $95.5\%$ with mean of $57.6\%$, and the estimated hour of peak was approximately 21:00 hrs (range, 20:04-21:29 hrs) and minimum counts at 09:00 hrs (range, 08:04 - 09:29 hrs). Correlation coefficient between the observed and the expected count from the model varies depending on dogs, ranging from 6.4 to $49.2\%$. Based on this study, the periodicity of microfilariae of D. immitis was considered as nocturnally sub-periodic for all dogs employed. This result is in consistent with previous report in peak hour but different in minimal hour, indicating that further studies on the periodicity need to be performed to better understanding the dynamics of the periodicity and to help practitioners in the choice of the time for examination of the dogs.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.569-572
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• 2013

Dirofilariasis is a rare disease in humans. We report here a case of a 48-year-old male who was diagnosed with pulmonary dirofilariasis in Korea. On chest radiographs, a coin lesion of 1 cm in diameter was shown. Although it looked like a benign inflammatory nodule, malignancy could not be excluded. So, the nodule was resected by video-assisted thoracic surgery. Pathologically, chronic granulomatous inflammation composed of coagulation necrosis with rim of fibrous tissues and granulations was seen. In the center of the necrotic nodules, a degenerating parasitic organism was found. The parasite had prominent internal cuticular ridges and thick cuticle, a well-developed muscle layer, an intestinal tube, and uterine tubules. The parasite was diagnosed as an immature female worm of Dirofilaria immitis. This is the second reported case of human pulmonary dirofilariasis in Korea.