Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Canine heartworm disease prevalence in western Spain dogs
By Diosdado, A et al.·Published in Journal of helminthology·2018·Faculty of Pharmacy, Spain·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Current status of canine dirofilariosis in an endemic area of western Spain.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study in western Spain found that 5.8% of dogs tested positive for heartworm disease (caused by Dirofilaria immitis), with a higher prevalence of 16.7% in areas with irrigated crops. This disease is spread by mosquito bites and can lead to serious health issues in dogs. The research indicates that while heartworm is still present in the region, the overall number of infected dogs has decreased. Pet owners in these areas should continue to monitor their dogs for symptoms and consider preventive treatments to protect against heartworm.
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Abstract
Since dirofilariosis caused by Dirofilaria immitis is a vector-borne disease, its distribution depends on environmental conditions as well as demographic factors and the management of pets by humans. In the province of Salamanca (west-central Spain) the disease has been known for many years, appearing in an area with extensive irrigated crops along the Tormes river. Because recent demographic changes have occurred in this area, the present study has been carried out with the aim of monitoring the distribution and prevalence of the disease in the canine population of this area. For that purpose, 191 dogs were analysed through antigen and microfilaria tests and geo-referenced in a map. The overall prevalence was 5.8%, although the disease was only present in dogs from municipalities with irrigated crops in which the prevalence was 16.7%. These results indicate that D. immitis continues to be present in the province of Salamanca, and that it is associated with the presence of irrigation, but with a clear decrease in the prevalence. Causes of the decrease in prevalence, as well as the potential zoonotic risk, are discussed.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28669358/