Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Heartworm infection found in 21% of outdoor dogs in South Korea
By Song, K H et al.·Published in Research in veterinary science·2010·Research Institute of Veterinary Medicine, South Korea·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Serological update and molecular characterization of Dirofilaria immitis in dogs, South Korea.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Eighty-one dogs in South Korea were tested for heartworm infection, and 17 of them were found to be positive. All the infected dogs lived outdoors, and the highest rates of infection were seen in dogs aged 2 to 4 years. The study also revealed that the heartworm strains in this area were genetically different from those typically found elsewhere. This information is important for understanding how heartworm is spreading in the region and could help in developing better prevention strategies.
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Abstract
Eighty-one dogs in the Chungnam province were tested for heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) infection by ELISA (SNAP test, IDEXX Laboratories, Maine, USA). Seventeen (20.9%) of the 81 samples were found to be positive and further analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing. In this study, all dogs tested lived outdoors. Using the chi(2) test and Fisher's exact test, no significant differences in the prevalence of dirofilariasis were observed among different gender and age groups, although the prevalence of this disease among dogs 2-4yrs of age remains highest. Sequence analysis revealed that the species prevalent in Chungnam province were genetically distinct from the type strain of D. immitis based on the nucleotide deletion found at position nt 276 (cytosine) and nucleotide substitution at position 428 (G to A) of the partial 16S rRNA sequence of the type strain. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis suggests at least 2 groups of D. immitis circulating in the Chungnam area between the year 2007 and 2008.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19942240/