Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Med J Armed Forces India 2019 Jan 15;75(1):112-114. Epub 2018 Oct 15.

Medical Officer, INHS Sanjivani, Naval Base, Kochi, Kerala, India.

Trop Parasitol 2018 Jul-Dec;8(2):110-113. Epub 2018 Dec 27.

Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Goa Dental College and Hospital, Bambolim, Goa, India.

Zoonotic filarial infections particularly dirofilariasis have been reported worldwide. The route of transmission to human beings is vector-borne through mosquitoes. Increased mosquito activity subsequent to global warming has influenced the transmission of dirofilarial infection in many geographic regions, including Asia. Read More

Parasit Vectors 2019 Jan 28;12(1):64. Epub 2019 Jan 28.

University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada.

Background: Vector-borne pathogens are emerging concerns in multiple regions of Canada. Determining regional prevalence of canine vector-borne pathogens and documenting change will improve clinician awareness, enable targeted prevention, enhance diagnosis and ideally reduce the risk of disease. Study objectives were to: (i) estimate the prevalence of positive canine vector-borne test results from samples submitted in Canada; (ii) assess change in prevalence over time, from baseline (2008) to 2015; and (iii) estimate the prevalence of pathogen co-infections. Read More

Parasite 2019 15;26. Epub 2019 Jan 15.

Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology, Tropical and Vector-Borne Diseases, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow 119435, Russia.

Dirofilariasis is endemic in Russia, as well as in many other European countries. The aim of this study was to assess the ability of mosquitoes to transfer Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens in regions with temperate and subtropical climates. The possible impact of the symbiotic bacterium Wolbachia on Dirofilaria transmission was also investigated. Read More

Parasit Vectors 2018 Dec 27;11(1):671. Epub 2018 Dec 27.

College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.

Background: The American Heartworm Society currently recommends the use of a monthly macrocyclic lactone, a 28-day course of 10 mg/kg doxycycline BID, and the 3-dose protocol of melarsomine dihydrochloride for the treatment of canine heartworm disease. Doxycycline is necessary for the reduction of the bacterium Wolbachia, found in all heartworm life-stages. Previous price increases and decreasing availability prompted us to evaluate alternative tetracycline antibiotics, i. Read More

Parasit Vectors 2018 Dec 19;11(1):663. Epub 2018 Dec 19.

National Centre of Vector Entomology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.

Dirofilaria repens is a nematode affecting domestic and wild canids, transmitted by several species of mosquitoes. It usually causes a non-pathogenic subcutaneous infection in dogs and is the principal agent of human dirofilariosis in the Old World. In the last decades, D. Read More

Parasit Vectors 2018 Dec 12;11(Suppl 1):623. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Top Companion Anim Med 2018 Dec 13;33(4):114-118. Epub 2018 Sep 13.

Assay R&D, IDEXX Laboratories Inc, Westbrook, ME, USA. Electronic address:

Vector-borne agents comprise medically important infections affecting dogs throughout much of the world. Sensitive detection of antibodies directed at tick-borne disease-causing organisms in dogs is diagnostically important for veterinarians, pets and their owners, and epidemiologically important for public health surveillance. The SNAP 4Dx Plus Test (IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. Read More

J Vet Intern Med 2019 Jan 29;33(1):158-166. Epub 2018 Nov 29.

Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas.

Background: Vector-borne diseases have an adverse impact on health of dogs, and infected dogs can be sentinels for human infection. Infection with Trypanosoma cruzi, an agent of Chagas disease, causes fatal heart disease in dogs across the southern United States but has been neglected from wide-scale prevalence studies.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of exposure to T. Read More

Parasit Vectors 2018 Nov 19;11(1):597. Epub 2018 Nov 19.

MSD Animal Health Innovation GmbH, Zur Propstei, Schwabenheim, Germany.

Background: Fluralaner provides efficacy against feline ectoparasites following topical administration. Moxidectin is routinely used to treat gastrointestinal nematode infections and prevent heartworm disease caused by Dirofilaria immitis. Praziquantel is routinely used to treat feline tapeworm infections. Read More

Parasit Vectors 2018 Nov 12;11(1):585. Epub 2018 Nov 12.

Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 17, 30559, Hannover, Germany.

Background: Vector-borne diseases constitute a major problem for veterinary and public health, especially in tropical regions like Central America. Domestic dogs may be infected with several vector-borne pathogens of zoonotic relevance, which may also severely compromise canine health.

Methods: To assess the prevalence of canine vector-borne diseases in Nicaragua, 329 dogs from seven cities, which were presented to the veterinarian for various reasons, were included in this study. Read More

Orv Hetil 2018 11;159(45):1844-1847

Fül-Orr-Gégészeti és Fej-Nyaksebészeti Klinika, Semmelweis Egyetem, Általános Orvostudományi Kar Budapest, Szigony u. 36., 1083.

Dirofilariasis refers to an infection caused by a specific parasitic roundworm. Dirofilaria repens - transmitted by mosquito bites - accounts for most human cases. The parasite forms a subcutaneous mass called cutaneous dirofilariasis near the original site of intrusion. Read More

PLoS One 2018 2;13(11):e0206633. Epub 2018 Nov 2.

Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka.

Human brugian filariasis has re-emerged in Sri Lanka after a quiescent period of four decades. This study investigated the prevalence of canine and feline filarial parasites in three localities with human sub-periodic brugian filariasis, in order to determine their potential reservoir status. All reachable dogs and cats, both stray and domestic, within a 350m radius of an index case of brugian filariasis in three locations (Madampe, Wattala and Weliweriya) were screened for microfilariae using Giemsa stained thick blood smears. Read More

Folia Med (Plovdiv) 2018 Jun;60(2):323-327

Department of Ophthalmology, Medical Faculty, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

We report a case of subconjunctival invasion of Dirofilaria repens in a woman from Southern Bulgaria. Dirofilariasis is an extremely rare parasitic disease for Bulgaria. It occurs as an endemic parasitosis in the Mediterranean countries. Read More

Parasite Immunol 2019 Jan 15;41(1):e12598. Epub 2018 Nov 15.

Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Dirofilariasis is a zoonotic global vector-borne disease caused by Dirofilaria immitis. The present study focuses on the somatic and excretory/secretory (E/S) proteins released from adult D. immitis. Read More

Med Princ Pract 2018 Oct 17. Epub 2018 Oct 17.

Objective: To present case of a child with epididymal dirofilariasis.

Clinical Presentation And Intervention: An 11-year-old boy is admitted at the Clinic of Pediatric Urology for elective surgery treatment of epididymal cyst on the left side. After removal, the cyst was sent for histological examination. Read More

J Vector Borne Dis 2018 Apr-Jun;55(2):151-158

Laboratorio de Arbovirologia, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, México.

Background & Objectives: Dirofilaria immitis is a filarial nematode that causes heartworm disease in domestic as well as wild canines and felines; and cutaneous or pulmonary infections in humans. The purpose of the study was to estimate the prevalence of D. immitis in domestic dogs in Tabasco, Mexico and to assay mosquitoes temporally and spatially associated with dogs for evidence of infection. Read More

Parasitol Res 2018 Nov 2;117(11):3679-3681. Epub 2018 Oct 2.

ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.

In recent years, the number of reported cases of human dirofilariasis in Europe has increased and the circulation of Dirofilaria spp. in mosquitoes in several European countries has been proven. We report here two likely autochthonous cases of subcutaneous human dirofilariasis from Barcelona, Spain, caused by Dirofilaria repens. Read More

Eur J Ophthalmol 2018 Oct 1:1120672118803519. Epub 2018 Oct 1.

Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and of Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.

Introduction: To report a case of ocular dirofilariasis in Central Italy (Pisa, Tuscany) and review the previous cases of ocular dirofilariasis reported in Italy.

Case Description: A 67-year-old man complained about recurrent ocular redness and discomfort previously treated as conjunctivitis. The slit-lamp examination showed a round, translucent cystic swelling under the bulbar conjunctiva of the right eye, near the lateral canthus. Read More

Parasitol Res 2018 Oct 8;117(10):3355-3360. Epub 2018 Sep 8.

Virological Research Group, Szentágothai Research Centre, University of Pécs, Ifjúság útja 20, Pécs, 7624, Hungary.

As part of the seasonal mosquito control activities in the city of Pécs (Baranya County, Hungary), a total of 1123 adult female mosquitoes belonging to 18 species (including the invasive species Aedes koreicus) were collected from human-inhabited areas, using CO-baited traps, during two consecutive years. To survey the presence and prevalence of filarial parasites in these mosquitoes, we performed a molecular survey for filarial DNA, attempted by PCR using generic primers (COI), and followed by DNA sequencing. Filaroid nematode DNA was detected in 4% of investigated mosquito pools. Read More

Parasit Vectors 2018 Aug 31;11(1):493. Epub 2018 Aug 31.

Outcomes Research, Animal Health, Center for Observational and Real-World Evidence, Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, 07033, USA.

Background: Heartworm medications and many oral or topical flea and tick products are provided as monthly doses while a newer oral flea/tick product, fluralaner (BRAVECTO® Chew), is re-dosed at a 12-week interval. This study focused on whether there was a difference in the number of heartworm medication doses that were purchased in the 12-months follow-up period for dogs that receive either fluralaner or other flea/tick medications that are dosed monthly.

Methods: Clinic transaction records of heartworm medication purchases for over 200,000 dogs were examined to compare the purchase of heartworm preventative protection by dog owners that also receive flea and tick medications of differing efficacy durations. Read More

An Acad Bras Cienc 2018 Aug 26;90(2 suppl 1):2293-2297. Epub 2018 Jul 26.

Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rua Professor Hernani Melo, 101, São Domingos, 24210-130 Niterói, RJ, Brazil.

The clinical importance of heartworm infection in cats has indeed increased in recent years. Dirofilaria immitis infection has been reported worldwide in cats and continues to be regularly diagnosed in endemic areas. The diagnosis can be overlooked easily, especially in Brazil, where there is not a specific feline immunodiagnostic test, forcing the veterinarians to use a test made for the canine host. Read More

Parasitol Res 2018 Nov 31;117(11):3407-3412. Epub 2018 Jul 31.

Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, 22110, Jordan.

Dogs can carry and share zoonotic pathogens with humans. This problem is understudied in different parts of the world, including Jordan. This study determined the prevalence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Ehrlichia canis, Dirofilaria immitis, and Borrelia burgdorferi using the SNAP 4Dx Plus test and spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFGR) using enzyme immunoassay IgG test in different types of dogs (farm/breeding, police, and stray) in Jordan. Read More

Vet Parasitol 2018 Aug 17;259:68-73. Epub 2018 Jul 17.

Department of Basic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, P.O. Box 6100, MS, 39762, USA. Electronic address:

Understanding diagnosis of heartworm disease in the context of animal shelters' needs and expectations is crucial for developing guidelines that specifically address the unique shelter population. Accurate and economical heartworm testing strategies are essential. However, current comprehensive guidelines for the management of heartworm disease in dogs are directed toward client-owned animals and do not address needs of animal shelters and other resource-scarce facilities. Read More

Acta Trop 2018 Nov 26;187:169-174. Epub 2018 Jul 26.

Group of animal and human dirofilariosis, Parasitology Area, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain. Electronic address:

The present study aimed to evaluate the extent of Dirofilaria immitis and D. repens exposure in humans from eastern and southern areas of Romania and central Moldova by serological methods. The serological screening was performed on a total of 450 serum samples (187 from Romania and 263 from Moldova). Read More

J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 2018 Sep/Oct;54(5):246-256. Epub 2018 Jul 24.

From the Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery (A.C.D-J., A.E.C., G.S.R., K.E.C., I.R.) and Department of Infectious Diseases (A.R.M.), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia; and Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina (M.C.).

This descriptive study was designed to ascertain the current heartworm treatment strategies employed by veterinary graduates of a single college of veterinary medicine, to assess the frequency with which each of these treatment strategies is prescribed, and to report the motivation behind the use of these treatment strategies. A survey containing a combination of multiple-choice and open-ended questions was distributed via e-mail with an online link during 2013 to graduates of the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine. Demographic data and opinions regarding treatment for cases of canine heartworm disease (HWD) were obtained, and motivation for recommending different treatment strategies was assessed. Read More

Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2018 12 18;8(3):596-606. Epub 2018 Jul 18.

Institute of Parasitology, McGill University, 21111 Lakeshore Road, Sainte Anne de Bellevue, H9X 3V9, QC, Canada. Electronic address:

Prophylaxis with macrocyclic lactone (ML) endectocides is the primary strategy for heartworm control. Recent evidence has confirmed that ML-resistant Dirofilaria immitis isolates have evolved. Comparison of genomes of ML-resistant isolates show they are genetically distinct from wild-type populations. Read More

J Arthropod Borne Dis 2018 Mar 18;12(1):94-99. Epub 2018 Mar 18.

Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil.

Background: is an important filarioid transmitted by culicids. The vector role of these arthropods may be influenced by biological events as melanization against larvae. This study aimed to detect the occurrence of melanization in , () and () experimentally infected with . Read More

PLoS One 2018 11;13(7):e0200419. Epub 2018 Jul 11.

Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Helmintologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém - Pará - Brazil.

Dirofilaria immitis and Acanthocheilonema reconditum are common parasites in dogs but have also been reported parasitizing humans. The differential diagnosis and epidemiological evaluation of these zoonoses are important to the development of efficient public health policies and control strategies. The purpose of this study was to carry out an epidemiological survey by using molecular methods for the specific identification of filarid parasites of domestic dogs in the Marajó mesoregion, State of Pará (PA), Brazil. Read More

Acta Parasitol 2018 Sep;63(3):657-663

Poznań University of Medical Sciences, Department and Clinic of Tropical and Parasitic Diseases, Poznań, Poland.

Dirofilariasis is a parasitic disease of dogs and other carnivores transmitted mainly by the mosquitoes of the genera Culex, Aedes, Anopheles. Full life cycle of the Dirofilaria nematodes in humans is extremely rarely observed, usually lacking species determination at the molecular level. We report fully documented unusual clinical manifestation of subcutaneous dirofilariasis with intensive microfilariemia in peripheral blood revealed by the Knott's concentration technique. Read More

Parasit Vectors 2018 Jul 4;11(1):392. Epub 2018 Jul 4.

Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, WHO Collaborating Centre for Arbovirus and Hemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research, Hamburg, Germany.

Background: Dirofilariosis is an emerging vector-borne parasitic disease in Europe. Monitoring of wild and domestic carnivores demonstrated circulation of Dirofilaria spp. in Romania in the past. Read More

N Engl J Med 2018 Jun;378(25):e35

University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.

Vet Parasitol 2018 Jun 30;257:54-57. Epub 2018 May 30.

Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Calea Mănăștur, 3-5, 400372, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

Dirofilaria immitis and D. repens are mosquito-borne nematodes, primarily infecting dogs, but also other species of carnivores and even humans. Given their impact on animal and human health, the transmission of these filarioids has been widely studied. Read More

Vet Clin Pathol 2018 Jun;47(2):307-311

Department of Pathological Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Olsztyn, Poland.

Dirofilaria repens is an endemic, zoonotic parasite of carnivores, causing subcutaneous dirofilariasis, which is mostly asymptomatic. The aim of this study was to describe 22 cases of canine subcutaneous dirofilariasis. The cytologic and histopathologic samples were collected from dogs, which presented with various clinical signs such as cutaneous/subcutaneous nodules, hydropericardium, ascites, and lymphadenomegaly. Read More

J Cardiothorac Surg 2018 Jun 11;13(1):65. Epub 2018 Jun 11.

Department for the Treatment and Study of Cardiothoracic Diseases and Cardiothoracic Transplantation, IRCCS ISMETT, Via Tricomi 5, Palermo, Italy.

Background: Human pulmonary dirofilariasis is a rare zoonosis caused by the dog worm Dirofilaria spp., a parasite transmitted by mosquitos and resulting in peripheral lung nodules. The filarial nematode enters the subcutaneous tissue, travels to the right ventricle and dies causing a small pulmonary infarction that may embolize through the pulmonary vessels and may appear as a solitary nodule. Read More

Parasitol Res 2018 Jul 17;117(7):2347-2350. Epub 2018 May 17.

Private Veterinary Practice BHVet, Koľajná 27, 83106, Bratislava, Slovakia.

Until recently Dirofilaria immitis, the causative agent of serious canine heartworm disease, has been detected relatively infrequently in Central Europe in comparison with the predominant D. repens species. In the present study, the elevated number of heartworm cases among dogs from a breeding establishment in south-western Slovakia is described. Read More

Med Mal Infect 2018 09 3;48(6):424-426. Epub 2018 May 3.

Département d'ORL et chirurgie maxillo-faciale, hôpital Gui-de-Chauliac, 80, avenue Augustin-Fliche, 34295 Montpellier, France; Faculté de médecine, université de Montpellier, 641, avenue du Doyen-Gaston-Giraud, 34093 Montpellier, France.

Parasit Vectors 2018 04 24;11(1):261. Epub 2018 Apr 24.

Department of Zoology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Mlynská dolina B-1, SK-842 15, Bratislava, Slovakia.

Background: Despite long-term research on dirofilariosis in Slovakia, little attention has thus far been paid to Dirofilaria vectors. The particular aim of the present study was molecular screening for filarioid parasites in two different habitats of Bratislava, the capital city of Slovakia. In addition, the effect of urbanisation on mosquito species abundance and composition, associated with the risk of mosquito-borne infections, was studied and discussed. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018 04 16;12(4):e0006438. Epub 2018 Apr 16.

Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States of America.

The filarial nematode Brugia malayi is an etiological agent of Lymphatic Filariasis. The capability of B. malayi and other parasitic nematodes to modulate host biology is recognized but the mechanisms by which such manipulation occurs are obscure. Read More

Vet Parasitol 2018 Apr 9;254:95-97. Epub 2018 Mar 9.

Department of Veterinary Science, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.

Melarsomine dihydrochloride (Immiticide®, Merial) is the only approved adulticidal drug for the treatment of canine heartworm disease (HWD). However, in cases where arsenical therapy is not possible or is contraindicated, a monthly heartworm preventive along with doxycycline for a 4-week period, which targets the bacterial endosymbiont Wolbachia, might be considered. There are published reports on the efficacy of ivermectin and doxycycline in both experimentally and naturally infected dogs, but no data on the use of other macrocyclic lactones (MLs) with a similar treatment regime. Read More

Vet Parasitol 2018 Apr 25;254:178-182. Epub 2018 Feb 25.

Department of Comparative Diagnostic and Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, 2015 SW 16th Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32610-0123, USA. Electronic address:

Patient-side test kits for detecting antigenemia in dogs associated with sexually mature female heartworms (Dirofilaria immitis) have been available for three decades, and these tests are continually updated and improved. To define the sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) of contemporary antigen detection tests against cardiopulmonary D. immitis burden, we evaluated five patient-side kits-Anigen Rapid One Step (Bio note), SNAP 4Dx Plus Test Kit (IDEXX), WITNESS Heartworm Canine Heartworm Antigen Test Kit (Zoetis), VetScan Canine Heartworm Rapid Test (Abaxis), and Solo Step CH Canine Heartworm Antigen Test (Heska), and one microplate ELISA (DiroCHEK; Zoetis), using archived canine sera divided into five subclasses of female worms (0, 1-5, 6-20, 21-40, and >40). Read More

Acta Parasitol 2018 Jun;63(2):412-415

Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, People's Republic of China.

Despite the fact vector-borne diseases (VBDs) have been increasingly reported in dogs worldwide, there are only limited reports on VBDs in dogs in China with most being based on molecular detection of active infections. To provide further data on the exposure of dogs in China to VBD agents, we used commercial immunochromatographic assays to test plasma from 637 apparently healthy indoor and breeding colony dogs from 21 veterinary clinics in 10 provinces in China and a commercial dog breeding facility for circulating antigen of Dirofilaria immitis, and for circulating antibodies against Ehrlichia spp., Anaplasma spp. Read More

Vet Parasitol 2018 Mar 31;252:120-126. Epub 2018 Jan 31.

CIISA, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal.

Cardiopulmonary nematodes are life-threatening pet parasites increasingly reported throughout Europe, with overlapping endemic areas. Dirofilaria immitis is a mosquito-borne whilst Angiostrongylus vasorum is a snail-borne pathogen. Both adult nematodes reside in the pulmonary arteries and right cardiac ventricle of domestic and wild canids, causing a wide spectrum of clinical presentations ranging from cough, dyspnoea and exercise intolerance to severe vascular and pulmonary disease with hearth failure that may lead to death. Read More

Parasit Vectors 2018 03 20;11(1):186. Epub 2018 Mar 20.

Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA.

Detection of circulating antigen of Dirofilaria immitis has been a mainstay of identifying heartworm infection in clinical practice for the past three decades. Several validated commercial antigen tests have very good sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive values, especially when used in patients for which heartworm infection is likely. In some dogs and cats infected with heartworm, antigen may not be available for detection although present in the patient sample; heat pretreatment of these samples reveals the antigen, changing the false negative to positive. Read More

Am J Trop Med Hyg 2018 03;98(3):645-646

Unit of Infectious Diseases, Amedeo di Savoia Hospital, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.

BMC Res Notes 2018 Feb 23;11(1):152. Epub 2018 Feb 23.

Laboratório de Imunomodulação e Protozoologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Av. Brasil 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-360, Brazil.

Objective: Dirofilaria immitis, the causative agent of canine heartworm infection, is worldwide the most important filarid to affect domestic dogs. Prevention of this infection is done by macrocyclic lactones, but some reports on the lack of efficacy have been published. Although the actual cause of resistance is unknown, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on a P-glycoprotein ABC transporter and β-tubulin genes have been pointed out as candidates for genetic markers of resistance. Read More

J Vet Intern Med 2018 Mar 20;32(2):792-796. Epub 2018 Feb 20.

Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, California.

A cat was evaluated for an acute-onset of right pelvic limb paresis. Thoracic radiographs revealed normal cardiac size and tortuous pulmonary arteries. Abdominal ultrasound identified a heartworm (HW) extending from the caudal abdominal aorta into the right external iliac artery and right femoral artery. Read More

Parasit Vectors 2018 02 20;11(1):98. Epub 2018 Feb 20.

University of Georgia, College of Veterinary Medicine, Athens, GA, USA.

Background: The use of heat-treatment in canine and feline serum has been hypothesized to break the formation of antigen-antibody complexes, thereby freeing the heartworm antigen allowing for detection by commercially available heartworm antigen kits. While studies have analyzed the effect of heat-treating serum and plasma samples in the detection of heartworm antigen, these studies have not utilized necropsy verified results for validation. This study evaluated the use of heat-treating serum samples in experimentally infected dogs during adulticidal treatment in comparison with necropsy adult heartworm recovery. Read More

Rom J Ophthalmol 2017 Jan-Mar;61(1):76-79

County Emergency Hospital, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

We are presenting the case of a patient who was clinically diagnosed with subconjunctival ocular dirofilariasis, confirmed by the parasitological examination. The treatment consisted in the surgical extraction of the parasite, a local treatment with antibiotics and steroidal anti-inflammatory mydriatic and general treatment with antihelminthic, antibiotic, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory drugs. The intraoperative and postoperative evolution of the case was favorable. Read More

Indian J Med Res 2017 10;146(4):528-533

Department of Veterinary Biochemistry, College of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, Thrissur, India.

Background & Objectives: Human dirofilariosis is a well-recognized zoonosis caused by several species of the genus Dirofilaria. The disease is prevalent among canines and human beings in Kerala. The objective of the present study was to confirm the human Dirofilaria isolates by molecular characterization. Read More