Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Low heartworm cases in dogs in Johor Bahru, Malaysia
By Ng, K L et al.·Published in Tropical biomedicine·2012·Department of Veterinary Pathology & Microbiology·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Low prevalence of Dirofilaria immitis in dogs in Johor Bahru, Malaysia as a reflection of vector availability?
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
In Johor Bahru, Malaysia, only 1.33% of dogs tested positive for heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis), indicating a low risk for this disease in the area. The study involved blood samples from 100 pet dogs and 50 strays, with just two dogs showing signs of heartworm. The researchers used various testing methods, including blood smears and antigen tests, to confirm the presence of the parasite. This low prevalence suggests that heartworm disease is not a significant concern for dogs in this region, but pet owners should still be aware of the risks and consider preventive measures.
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Abstract
This study was conducted to investigate the low prevalence of Dirofilaria immitis in dogs in Johor Bahru as reported by veterinary practitioners, using wet blood mount, Knott's Concentration Test and two heartworm antigen test kits (IDEXX Canine SNAP® 4Dx and RapiGEN®). This study also compared the two test kits used and determined the microfilaria species. Blood were collected from 100 owned dogs and 50 stray dogs in Johor Bahru via cephalic venipuncture. A thick blood smear was done and examined for samples that were positive for microfilaria species identification. The overall prevalence of D. immitis in dogs in Johor Bahru was 1.33% (2/150) and the microfilaria identified was D. immitis. The prevalence of heartworm in owned and stray dogs in this study was 1% and 2% respectively. With only one false negative result from RapiGEN® test kit, comparing the sensitivity between the two test kits could not be achieved. The low prevalence of D. immitis found in this study confirmed anecdotal evidence that prevalence of dirofilariasis is indeed low in Johor Bahru. Additionally, we speculate that dirofilariasis in dogs might be considered as an indicator of vector availability.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22543620/