Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
First report of heartworm disease in dogs and mosquitoes in Porto
By Guilherme Maerschner Ogawa et al.·Published in Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinária·View original on DOAJ →
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Original publication title: Canine heartworm disease in Porto Velho: first record, distribution map and occurrence of positive mosquitoes
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that 12.8% of dogs in Porto Velho, Brazil, tested positive for heartworm disease, which can cause serious health issues. Blood samples from 727 dogs were analyzed, and the most effective tests were immunochromatography and PCR, which detected the disease better than traditional methods. Most of the infected dogs were born in the area, indicating local transmission. This discovery highlights the importance of testing and preventive measures for heartworm, especially in regions where the disease is spreading.
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Abstract
The aim of this study was to make the first report on canine heartworm disease in the state of Rondônia and confirm its transmission in this state. Blood samples were randomly collected from 727 dogs in the city of Porto Velho. The samples were analyzed to search for microfilariae and circulating antigens, using three different techniques: optical microscopy on thick blood smears stained with Giemsa; immunochromatography; and PCR. Mosquitoes were collected inside and outside the homes of all the cases of positive dogs and were tested using PCR to search for DNA of Dirofilaria immitis. Ninety-three blood samples out of 727 (12.8%) were positive according to the immunoassay technique and none according to the thick smear method. Among the 93 positive dogs, 89 (95.7%) were born in Porto Velho. No difference in the frequency of infection was observed between dogs raised indoors and in the yard. PCR on the mosquitoes resulted in only one positive pool. This result shows that the transmission of canine heartworm disease is occurring in the city of Porto Velho and that there is moderate prevalence among the dogs. The techniques of immunochromatography and PCR were more effective for detecting canine heartworm than thick blood smears. The confirmation of canine heartworm disease transmission in Porto Velho places this disease in the ranking for differential diagnosis of pulmonary nodules in humans in Rondônia.
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Search related cases →Original publication on DOAJ: https://doi.org/10.1590/S1984-29612013000400017