A survey of canine heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) infections among German shepherds in five areas of South Korea was performed from October 1994 to August 1995 using a microfilarial test (modified Knott's test) and an antigen test (DiroCHEK , Synbiotics, USA). The infection rate of 127 German shepherds (71 males and 56 females) was 10.2% (13/127) by the microfilarial test, but was 28.3% (36/127) by the antigen test, revealing that 24 of the 36 antigen-positive dogs were microfilaria-negative in the peripheral blood. All dogs that were microfilaria-positive were also antigen-positive. Three of the microfilaria-negative and antigen-positive dogs contained 4 - 15 adult heartworms in the heart and pulmonary arteries upon necropsy. The infection rate among German shepherds was the highest in Hoengsong-gun (Kangwon-do, 84.4%), while those of Yechon-gun (Kyongsangbuk-do) and Chungwon-gun (Chungchongbuk-do) areas were 20.0% and 14.3%, respectively. None of the dogs in the Kimhae-shi (Kyongsangnam-do) and Kwangju areas was heartworm positive. The infection rates of heartworm in dogs at the age of 1-3, 4-6, and 7-11 years were 6.3%, 21.4%, and 56.4%, respectively. Based on the fact that the antigen test is more accurate than the microfilarial test, this study strongly indicates that the prevalence rate of canine heartworm in Korea may be higher than previously reported (3.1+=23.0%) which utilized microfilarial tests.
parasitology-helminth-nematoda ; Dirofilaria immitis ; dogs ; antigen ; microfilaria ; epidemiology

The present study was performed to investigate the seroprevalence and risk factors for Dirofilaria immitis infection in cats from Liaoning province, northeastern China. From October 2014 to September 2016, sera of 651 cats, including 364 domestic cats and 287 feral cats (332 females and 319 males) were assessed. They were tested for the presence of D. immitis antigen using SNAP Heartworm RT test kit. In this population, the average prevalence was 4.5%. Age and rearing conditions (feral or domestic) were found to be associated with the prevalence of D. immitis. The prevalence was significantly higher in feral cats compared with domestic cats (8.4% vs 1.4%, P < 0.01). There was no significant difference between males and females (4.7% vs 4.2%, P>0.05), but older cats (≥3 years old) showed a statistically higher prevalence compared with younger cats ( < 3 years old) in feral populations (16.8 vs 2.4%, P < 0.01), while the difference between the age groups was not statistically significant in domestic cats (2.4% vs 0.51%, P>0.05), all these results suggest that outdoor exposure time may be one of the most important factors for D. immitis prevalence in cats. Results reveal that D. immitis are prevalence in domestic and feral cats in northeastern China, which indicates that appropriate preventive measures should be taken to decrease the incidence of feline heartworm disease in Liaoning province, northeastern China.
Animals ; Cats* ; China* ; Dirofilaria immitis* ; Dirofilaria* ; Dirofilariasis ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Seroepidemiologic Studies*

Dirofilaria (D.) immitis is an important canine parasitic nematode in dogs. D. immitis parasitizes the right ventricle and pulmonary artery of dogs. An ivermectin and pyrantel pamoate compound (IPPC) was administered to dogs naturally infected with this parasite. IPPC is composed of 68.0, 136.0 and 272.0 microg of ivermectin and 57.0, 114.0 and 227.0 mg pyrantel pamoate for small, middle, and large animals. Ivermectin has activity against nematodes and ectoparasites in dogs. Pyrantel pamoate is also effective against nematodes in dogs. Our results showed that this drug combination has good efficacy in D. immitis infected dogs.
Animals ; Dirofilaria ; Dirofilaria immitis ; Dogs ; Heart Ventricles ; Ivermectin ; Parasites ; Pulmonary Artery ; Pyrantel ; Pyrantel Pamoate

This study was conducted to determine the serum cardiac troponin I (cTnI) concentrations in clinically normal (uninfected) Korean Jindo dogs and those infected with Dirofilaria (D.) immitis. Forty Korean Jindo dogs (22 females, 18 males) were obtained from two kennels in the Boryeong area of Chungnam Province and the Daejeon area, Korea. Significantly higher cTnI concentrations were observed in D. immitis-infected dogs than clinically normal dogs. cTnI testing in addition to thoracic radiography, echocardiography, and electrocardiography shows promise as an additional method for diagnosis of heartworm infection.
Animals ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Diagnosis ; Dirofilaria immitis* ; Dirofilaria* ; Dogs* ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Troponin I* ; Troponin*

Wolbachia is an obligatory intracellular endosymbiotic bacterium, present in over 20% of all insects altering insect reproductive capabilities and in a wide range of filarial worms which is essential for worm survival and reproduction. In Egypt, no available data were found about Wolbachia searching for it in either mosquitoes or filarial worms. Thus, we aimed to identify the possible concurrent presence of Wolbachia within different mosquitoes and filarial parasites, in Assiut Governorate, Egypt using multiplex PCR. Initially, 6 pools were detected positive for Wolbachia by single PCR. The simultaneous detection of Wolbachia and filarial parasites (Wuchereria bancrofti, Dirofilaria immitis, and Dirofilaria repens) by multiplex PCR was spotted in 5 out of 6 pools, with an overall estimated rate of infection (ERI) of 0.24%. Unexpectedly, the highest ERI (0.53%) was for Anopheles pharoensis with related Wolbachia and W. bancrofti, followed by Aedes (0.42%) and Culex (0.26%). We also observed that Wolbachia altered Culex spp. as a primary vector for W. bancrofti to be replaced by Anopheles sp. Wolbachia within filaria-infected mosquitoes in our locality gives a hope to use bacteria as a new control trend simultaneously targeting the vector and filarial parasites.
Aedes ; Anopheles ; Bacteria ; Culex ; Culicidae* ; Dirofilaria ; Dirofilaria immitis ; Dirofilaria repens ; Egypt* ; Hope ; Insects ; Larva* ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Parasites ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Reproduction ; Wolbachia* ; Wuchereria bancrofti

this report describes the structures of high-mannose-type N-linked oligosaccharides in glycoproteins synthesized by the microfilariae of Dirofioria immitis. Microfilariae of D. immitis were incubated in vitro in media contaning 2-[(3)H] mannose to allow metabolic radiolabeling of the oligosaccharide moieties of newly synthesized glycoproteins. Glycopeptides were prepared from the radiolabeled glycoproteins by digestion with pronase and fractionation by chromatography on concanavalin A-Sepharose. Thirty eight percent of 2-[(3)H] mannose incorporated into the microfilariae of D. immitis glycopeptides was recovered in high mannose-type asparagine-linked oligosaccharides whech were bound to the immobilized lectin. Upon treatment of 2-[(3)H] mannose labeled glycopeptides with endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase H, the high mannose-type chains were released and their structures were determined by high performance liquid chromatography and exoglycosidase digestion. The major species of high mannose-type chains synthesized by microfilariae of D. immitis have the composition Man(5) GlcNAc(2), Man(6) ClcNAc(2), Man(8) GlcNA(2), and Man(8) GlcNAc(2). Structural analyses indicate that these oligosaccharides are similar to high mannose-type chains synthesized by vertebrates.
parasitology-helminth-nematoda ; Dirofilaria immitis ; mannose ; carbohydrates ; oligosaccharieds ; micrlfilariae ; metabolic labeling ; HPLC ; enzyme digestion ; biochemistry

In the present study, we first report the seroprevalence of Dirofilaria immitis in dogs in Shenyang, northeastern China. Sera from 528 randomly selected dogs were examined for D. immitis antigen using SNAP(R)4Dx test kit; 12.7% tested showed seropositive. No significant difference of infection was observed in different genders and breeds (P>0.05), but the difference was significant in different age groups and rearing conditions (P<0.05). The result suggested that the risk of exposure to D. immitis in dogs is high in Shenyang, and should be given attention.
Animals ; China/epidemiology ; *Dirofilaria immitis ; Dirofilariasis/epidemiology/*parasitology ; Dog Diseases/epidemiology/*parasitology ; Dogs ; Seroepidemiologic Studies

A 10-year-old male spotted seal presented with loss of appetite and decreased activity. Grossly, the internal organs revealed several filarial nematodes in the right ventricle of the heart and the pulmonary vessels. Histopathological examination of the brain revealed moderate nonsuppurative meningoencephalitis with glial nodules and neuronophagia. Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) of genotype I was isolated from the brain. All nematodes were identified as Dirofilaria immitis. This is the first clinical case of co-infection with D. immitis and JEV in a seal, suggesting that the seal, may be a dead-end host, like the human and horse, for JEV.
Appetite ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Brain ; Child ; Coinfection ; Dirofilaria immitis ; Dirofilaria ; Encephalitis Virus, Japanese ; Encephalitis, Japanese ; Genotype ; Heart ; Heart Ventricles ; Horses ; Humans ; Male ; Meningoencephalitis ; Republic of Korea

A case of periocular dirofilariasis has been diagnosed in Iran. A 27-yr old female referred with a history of edema and redness in the left eye since 2 wk ago. On slit lamp examination, a moving thread-like worm was seen in the subconjunctival area. Two days later, a 126 mm long, live filaria worm was extracted from the lower lid subcutaneous tissue. The worm was diagnosed as, likelihood, Dirofilaria immitis on microscopic examinations. The present case suggests that D. immitis can cause periocular infections.
Adult ; Animals ; Dirofilaria immitis/anatomy & histology/isolation & purification ; Dirofilariasis/*diagnosis/parasitology ; Eye Infections, Parasitic/*diagnosis/*parasitology ; Female ; Humans

Most of human dirofilariasis are pulmonary or subcutaneous infections, but there have been a few reports of human dirofilariasis in unusual sites, such as large vessels, mesentery, peritoneal cavity, and spermatic cord. We present the first case of human hepatic dirofilariasis, which was surgically diagnosed. A 39-yr-old man without any evidence of systemic symptom was found incidentally to have a hepatic nodule during routine physical check-up. The histologic findings of the resected lesion showed a granulomatous lesion with central necrosis containing up to 35 transverse sections of a nematode, ranging 30-80 micrometer in diameter. Thin (1.5-5 micrometer) cuticle with transverse striations surrounded polymyarian and muscle bundles occupied a sixth of both sides of outer body cavity. Central portion of the body cavity was occupied with an intestine-like tubular structure and a larger reproductive tube. These microscopic findings were consistent with degenerated Dirofilaria immitis. Antibody test by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for patient serum reacted positively against adult D. immitis antigen.
Adult ; Animals ; Dirofilaria immitis/anatomy & histology/isolation & purification ; Dirofilariasis/*diagnosis/parasitology ; Humans ; Liver Diseases, Parasitic/*diagnosis/parasitology ; Male