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helminths in the wolf, canis lupus, from north-western spain.fifteen helminth species were collected from 47 wolves (canis lupus ) which were surveyed from 1993 to 1999 in northwestern spain. these included the trematode alaria alata (2.1%); the cestodes taenia hydatigena (44.7%), t. multiceps (29.8%), t. serialis (2.1%), dipylidium caninum (6.4%) and mesocestoides sp. aff. litteratus (4.2%); and the nematodes pearsonema plica (7.4%), trichuris vulpis (10.6%), trichinella britovi (12.8%), ancylostoma caninum (8.5%), uncinaria stenocephala (51.1%), toxocar ...200111520444
cloning and characterization of a dopachrome conversion enzyme from the yellow fever mosquito, aedes aegypti.in this study we describe the purification and molecular cloning of a dopachrome conversion enzyme (dce) from the yellow fever mosquito, aedes aegypti. dce catalyzes the conversion of l-dopachrome to 5,6-dihydroxyindole in the melanization pathway. melanin biosynthesis is involved with crucial protective phenomena in mosquitoes, including egg chorion and cuticular tanning, wound healing, and the melanotic encapsulation immune response. the enzyme was purified to homogeneity by various chromatogr ...200111520691
a factor of inducing ige from a filarial parasite prevents insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in nonobese diabetic mice.parasitic helminth infections are characterized by eosinophilia and markedly elevated levels of circulating antigen-nonspecific immunoglobulin e (ige), responses from which concern helminth protection. we previously purified a factor from dirofilaria immitis that induces antigen-nonspecific ige in mice and rats. recombinant diag (rdiag) has various biological activities. it is also known that parasitic helminth infection generates tremendous th2 responses. the nonobese diabetic (nod) mouse spont ...200111527407
immunological analysis of agglutination in dirofilaria immitis microfllariae.the mechanism of agglutination phenomenon of dirofilaria immitis microfilariae was analyzed. circulating microfilariae were collected from a d. immitis-infected microfilaremic dog and cultured in the several kinds of sera from dogs and animals. the agglutination of d. immitis microfilariae is a specific phenomenon due to some immune complexes formed with the anti-microfilarial antibody, heat-instable factor(s) and excretory-secretory products of microfilariae. only live microfilariae were agglut ...200111558547
a factor of inducing ige from a filarial parasite is an agonist of human cd40.immune responses to parasitic helminth are usually characterized by quite mysterious phenomena: dominance of th2-like immunity and antigen-nonspecific ige secretion. we previously purified a factor from dirofilaria immitis that induces antigen-nonspecific ige in rats and named it diag. in the presence of il-4, diag induces mouse b cells to secrete ige, which is antigen-nonspecific polyclonal antibody. we investigated the biochemical characteristics of diag as a factor of inducing ige in this stu ...200111591702
immunisation of mice with fractions derived from the intestines of dirofilaria immitis.antigens that are not normally seen by the host but that are nevertheless, accessible to host immune effector molecules and cells such as the native endoantigens associated with the intestinal epithelium of haematophagous tissue-dwelling parasites, could be potentially useful vaccine antigens. in this study, intestines were dissected from adult dirofilaria immitis, homogenised, and a 105,000 x g pellet obtained and extracted with triton x-100. the soluble 105,000 x g supernatant from this extrac ...200111595233
activity of an injectable, sustained-release formulation of moxidectin administered prophylactically to mixed-breed dogs to prevent infection with dirofilaria immitis.to test the ability of a single injection of a sustained-release formulation of moxidectin (moxidectin sr) to protect dogs against heartworm infection for 180 days after inoculation with infective third-stage larvae (l3) of dirofilaria immitis.200111703014
seroepidemiologic survey of dirofilaria immitis infection among domestic dogs in taipei city and mountain aboriginal districts in taiwan (1998-1999).to estimate the seroprevalence of dirofilaria immitis infection in domestic dogs in taiwan, we utilized a commercial elisa kit (snap, idexx, usa) for detecting circulating antigens released by adult female worms. serum specimens of 664 domestic dogs sampled from taipei city in northern taiwan and 14 mountain aboriginal districts in eastern taiwan were screened for d. immitis antigens. multivariate-adjusted odds ratios (ors) with their 95% confidence intervals (cis) were estimated by multiple log ...200111705657
histochemical differentiation of dirofilaria immitis, dirofilaria repens and acanthocheilonema dracunculoides microfilariae by staining with a commercial kit, leucognost-sp.the diagnosis of canine heartworm infection is based upon the presence of circulating dirofilaria immitis microfilariae or on techniques for the detection of serum antibodies or antigens. in the first of these, discrimination between d. immitis, d. repens and acanthocheilonema dracunculoides microfilariae is based upon the acid phosphatase histochemical stain. in this paper, we propose an alternative technique for histochemical staining using a commercial kit test of naphthol-as-ol (leucognost-s ...200111705664
a prevalence survey and risk analysis of filariosis in dogs from the mt. vesuvius area of southern italy.a dog microfilariae prevalence and risk factor survey was conducted in 51 contiguous municipalities of the mt. vesuvius area (campania region, southern italy) in order to add data to the limited epidemiological information available regarding filarial worms in this zone. between may 1999 and june 2000, blood samples were collected from 351 asymptomatic dogs. blood samples were examined using a modified knott's technique and histochemical staining in order to count and identify microfilariae. the ...200111777604
molecular cloning of two prophenoloxidase genes from the mosquito aedes aegypti.the biosynthesis of melanotic materials is an important process in the life of a mosquito. melanin production is critical for many diverse processes such as egg chorion tanning, cuticular sclerotization, and melanotic encapsulation of metazoan parasites. prophenoloxidase plays a critical role in this biochemical cascade. two cdnas, one full length and one partial clone, and two genomic clones encoding prophenoloxidase (pro-po) were isolated from the yellow fever mosquito, aedes aegypti. the full ...200111240641
igg response against infective larvae of dirofilaria immitis in experimentally infected cats.somatic antigens from third stage larvae of dirofilaria immitis (sl3) were used to detect igg response against heartworm infection in 8 experimentally infected cats. a moderate specific anti-sl3 igg response was found one month post-infection. afterwards, antibodies decreased reaching a basal level 4 months post-infection and remained at this level until the end of the study. 6 months post-infection. western blot analysis showed specific recognition of polypeptides of 79, 73, 60, 52, 40 and 39 k ...200111254182
hemodynamic alterations in dogs with shock induced by intravenous injection of heartworm extract.to elucidate one way of the shock mechanisms, the hemodynamic alterations were examined in 7 dogs with heartworm (hw) extract-induced shock. the first alteration observed after injection of hw extract was a decrease in right ventricular end-diastolic pressure (rvedp). after that, left ventricular (lv) end-diastolic pressure, lv systolic pressure, and lv dp/dt fell significantly, followed by a decrease in the cardiac output of all dogs to below the detectable level (1.00 l/min). since rvedp depen ...200111258456
identification and characterization of an aromatic amino acid decarboxylase from the filarial nematode, dirofilaria immitis.a novel secreted aromatic amino acid decarboxylase-like molecule was identified in the excretory/secretory products of l3/l4 larvae as well as in an extract of adult dirofilaria immitis. the secretion of the enzyme was developmentally regulated. peak enzyme activities were detected in the culture medium before and after the molting of l3 larvae in vitro. the enzyme was purified from d. immitis adult extracts and the excretory/secretory products of l3/l4 larvae using different chromatographic met ...200111258661
comparison of heartworm antigen test kit performance in dogs having low heartworm burdens.sensitivity and specificity of four in-clinic heartworm antigen test kits, abboscreen (abbott laboratories), snap pf (idexx laboratories), solo step (heska corporation), witness (synbiotics corporation) and two heartworm antigen microwell plate assays, dirochek (synbiotics) and petchek pf (idexx) were compared in a blinded study using serum or plasma drawn from 237 random source dogs, including 140 with necropsy-confirmed, low worm burden infections (minimum 1 worm, maximum 10, mean 2.3, median ...200111267758
[canine dirofilariasis in the canton of ticino and in the neighboring areas of northern italy].the distribution of canine dirofilariosis in southern ticino (switzerland) and in the neighbouring provinces of varese and como (italy) was investigated. blood samples were collected from 308 dogs which had remained in the local area and were outdoor-housed, older than 1.5 years and had not been treated previously with preventive or microfilaricidal drugs. microfilariae of dirofilaria immitis and d. repens were found in 33 (10.7%) and 17 (5.5%) dogs, respectively. ten more dogs (3.2%) tested pos ...200111293933
a solitary pulmonary nodule with zoonotic implications. 200111296193
susceptibility of mosquitoes in central taiwan to natural infections of dirofilaria immitis.from october 1997 to september 1998, 3085 culex quinquefasciatus (say) (diptera: culicidae), 584 cx. tritaeniorhynchus (giles) (diptera: culicidae), 392 cx. annulus (theobald) (diptera: culicidae), 374 aedes albopictus (skuse) (diptera: culicidae) and 102 armigeres subalbatus (coquillet) (diptera: culicidae) were collected and examined for dirofilaria immitis (leidy) (spirurida: filariidae) infection. however, only cx. quinquefasciatus and ae. albopictus were infected, with a prevalence of 4.28% ...200111297103
morbidity-mortality factors and survival of an urban coyote population in arizona.the health of coyotes (canis latrans) in urban areas has not been studied. our objectives were to assess the health of coyotes in tucson (arizona, usa) by determining the prevalence of antibodies to selected pathogens, estimating survival rates, and identifying sources of mortality. we drew blood from 22 coyotes to evaluate the prevalence of heartworm (dirofilaria immitis) antigens, and antibodies to canine distemper virus (cdv), infectious canine hepatitis (ich), canine parvovirus (cpv), and se ...200111310882
inhibitors of the lipoxygenase pathway block development of brugia malayi l3 in vitro.brugia malayi l3 molt to the l4 stage in serum-free cultures supplemented with arachidonic, linoleic, or linolenic acids and the basidiomycetous yeast rhodotorula minuta. these fatty acids are capable of entering the eicosanoid pathway of arachidonate metabolism, the pathway responsible for generating a number of biologically active mediators, including prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and lipoxins. to determine whether this pathway was required for l3 development, we added dual inhibitors of cyclo ...200111318551
seasonal prevalence of third-stage larvae of dirofilaria immitis in mosquitoes from florida and louisiana.heads of 109,597 mosquitoes collected during 1996 and 1997 from gainesville, florida (1996, n = 39,131; 1997, = 34,209), bartow, florida (1996, n = 12,000; 1997, n = 12,000), and baton rouge, louisiana (1996, n = 12,257) were tested by a polymerase chain reaction and southern hybridization-based test for the presence of third-stage larvae of the canine heartworm dirofilaria immitis. mosquito heads were pooled (1-200 heads) by month, locality, and species for testing. the test used was species sp ...200111318562
comparison of heartworm extract-induced shock and endotoxin-induced shock in dogs by determination of serum tumor necrosis factor concentrations.to compare the mechanisms of heartworm (hw) extract-induced shock and endotoxin-induced shock in dogs by determination of serum tumor necrosis factor (tnf) concentrations.200111341400
role of histamine in heartworm extract-induced shock in dogs.to determine whether heartworm (hw) extract-induced shock in dogs is consistent with anaphylactic shock by examining the role of histamine.200111341401
nitric oxide synthase in filariae: demonstration of nitric oxide production by embryos in brugia malayi and acanthocheilonema viteae.the radical gas nitric oxide (no) is synthesized by nitric oxide synthase (nos) from l-arginine and molecular oxygen. nitric oxide is an important signaling molecule in invertebrate and vertebrate systems. previously we have shown that nos is localized to more tissues in brugia malayi than has been reported in ascaris suum. in this paper, we analyze the distribution of nos in acanthocheilonema viteae, a filarial nematode that differs from b. malayi in that a. viteae females release microfilariae ...200111384164
influence of intercodon and base frequencies on codon usage in filarial parasites.base frequency, codon usage, and intercodon identity were analyzed in five filarial parasite species representing five onchocercidae genera. wucheria bancrofti, brugia malayi, onchocerca volvulus, acanthocheilonema viteae, and dirofilaria immitis gene sequences were downloaded from ncbi, and analysis was performed using locally designed computer programs and other freely available applications. a clear sequence bias was observed among the nematode species examined. at the nucleotide level, at ba ...200111386756
relationship between microfilaria count and sensitivity of the direct smear for diagnosis of canine dirofilariosis.direct blood smear examination (using 0.05 ml of whole blood) detected 168 (80.9%) of 204 microfilaremic canine blood samples as determined by the modified knott test for microfilariae (mff) of dirofilaria immitis (using 1 ml of whole blood). direct smear examination detected all of 134 microfilaremias greater than 50 mff ml(-1), but only 31 of 70 (44.3%) microfilaremias having less than 50 mff ml(-1). in a separate retrospective query of a database of 963 dogs with necropsy-confirmed heartworm ...200111113550
feline dirofilariosis: antibody response to antigenic fractions containing specific 20 to 30 kda polypeptides from the adult dirofilaria immitis somatic antigen.fractions from the adult somatic antigen (sa) dirofilaria immitis complex, containing polypeptides from 20 to 30kda, previously identified as molecular markers of feline dirofilariosis are isolated by sequential application of gel filtration and anion exchange chromatography. indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, employing these fractions (20-26kda/elisaf1 and 30kda/elisaf7) show multivalent diagnostic capacities: they were able to detect pre-patent infections 2 months after infection, in ...200211777613
feline heartworm infection: serological survey of asymptomatic cats living in northern italy.heartworm infection is now recognized as a potential cause of serious disease in cats. epidemiological studies indicate that in locations where the infection is endemic in the dog, cats are at risk. the aim of this work was to carry out a serological survey for the presence of anti-dirofilaria immitis antibodies in privately owned, predominantly asymptomatic cats living in different areas of northern italy in order to determine the distribution of the parasite and the risk of infection in this s ...200211779654
prevalence of canine dirofilariosis in the city of buenos aires and its outskirts (argentina).during the past 10 years, the prevalence of canine dirofilariosis in the city of buenos aires and its outskirts, particularly in the northern and southern areas, has increased significantly. in the present work, studies were carried out in dogs living in the city and in its northern, western and southern outskirts from 1997 to 2001. for this purpose, 782 blood samples were collected and analyzed to determine circulating antigen, processed with the witness merial antigen test. the samples resulte ...200212423937
immunological responses of dogs experimentally infected with dirofilaria immitis.three dogs were experimentally infected with dirofilaria immitis. all dogs were euthanised at 30, 36 and 37 weeks after inoculation of d. immitis for the recovery of adult worms. three cases accounted to 42.91 % recovery of inoculated worms. serum samples from dogs experimentally inoculated with d. immitis were analyzed by elisa and immunoblotting methods. antibody titers of dogs detected by elisa peaked between 7 and 14 weeks then decreased between weeks 15 to 24 followed by another increase du ...200212441680
full season efficacy of moxidectin microsphere sustained release formulation for the prevention of heartworm (dirofilaria immitis) infection in dogs.the authors report the efficacy of an injectable, moxidectin sustained release (sr) formulation for the prevention of canine heartworm infection in endemic areas in northern and central italy. three field trials were carried out on a total of 324 dogs. two hundred forty-three dogs were treated with moxidectin sr 6 months apart and 81 dogs (positive controls) with moxidectin tablets given monthly for 5 consecutive months during the risk season each year throughout the study. results of testing fo ...200212446092
utility of an in-office c6 elisa test kit for determination of infection status of dogs naturally exposed to borrelia burgdorferi.serologic evaluation for the diagnosis of lyme disease has been confounded by several factors, including a high prevalence of clinically normal dogs testing seropositive, persistence of antibodies, and the introduction of vaccines that will induce antibodies detectable by immunofluorescent antibody assay, whole-cell elisa, and western blot assay. the utility of a commercially available in-office test kit (snap 3dx, idexx laboratories) for the simultaneous detection of borrelia burgdorferi and eh ...200212447839
mortality associated with melarsomine dihydrochloride administration in two north american river otters (lontra canadensis) and a red panda (ailurus fulgens fulgens).two adult north american river otters (lontra canadensis) and an adult red panda (ailurus fulgens fulgens) at three separate institutions died within 22 hr after receiving single 2.5- to 2.7-mg/kg doses of melarsomine dihydrochloride administered in the epaxial musculature as a treatment for filarid nematodes. one otter had a suspected dirofilaria immitis infection, the other had a confirmed d. lutrae infection, and the red panda had a confirmed dirofilaria sp. infection, presumably with d. immi ...200212462491
pulmonary dirofilariasis--clinicopathological study.pulmonary dirofilariasis (pd), caused by dirofilaria immitis (d. immitis), the dog heartworm, is not common in humans, though we recently encountered 4 cases. chest x-ray images from annual health examinations showed a single spherical nodule in the inferior or middle portion of the right lung in each patient. none of the patients showed any clinical symptoms and had no contact with dogs. hematological results in 3 of the cases were within normal limits, while mild eosinophilia was found in one. ...200212502905
cross-reactivity between sera from dogs experimentally infected with dirofilaria immitis and crude extract of toxocara canis.this study was performed to investigate whethere there is cross-reactivity between dirofilaria immitis and three intestinal nematodes of dogs. in elisa, d. immitis-infected dog sera obtained at the 4th molting stage (9-11 weeks) and microfilaremic stage (25-30 weeks) were shown to be highly reactive with crude extract of t. canis. in immunoblotting, some antigenic fractions, 44, 57, 88, 100 kda of crude extract of t. canis, were found to be positive reaction with sera of dogs infected with d. im ...200212509105
isoenzyme variation in aedes aegypti correlated with dirofilaria immitis infectability.from the vero beach strain of the mosquito aedes (stegomyia) aegypti (l.) (diptera: culicidae), substrains were selected for susceptibility (ss) and refractoriness (rr) to the dog heartworm dirofilaria immitis (leidy) (filarioidea: onchocercidae). these two lines and their reciprocal f1 hybrids were analysed for genetic variation at 14 enzyme loci, using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. six of the enzyme loci showed variation (sample size 48 alleles/locus/line). three of these were monomorphi ...200212510895
canine filariosis caused by dirofilaria immitis in mozambique: a small survey based on the identification of microfilariae.dirofilaria immitis was diagnosed in 4 of 13 indigenous dogs from the province of zambézia, mozambique, by acid phosphatase staining of microfilariae. the finding reconfirms the occurrence of the parasite in mozambique after 3 decades and emphasises the need for extensive surveys. additionally, in 1 of the infected dogs, microfilariae of dipetalonema reconditum were detected, which is the 1st record of this parasite in mozambique.200212515299
does fertilization in the filarial nematode dirofilaria immitis occur through endocytosis of spermatozoa?information on the ultrastructural details of fertilization in filarial nematodes are still unavailable. here we report new data on this process in dirofilaria immits, the heartworm of dogs and cats. electron microscopy allowed us to observe oocytes engulfing spermatozoa through an endocytosis-like process. we also observed spermatozoa inside the oocytes which still possessed their plasma membrane and which were clearly enveloped by a further membrane, likely derived from the endocytosis process ...200211811805
dirofilaria immitis encodes di-nhr-7, a putative orthologue of the drosophila ecdysone-regulated e78 gene.filarial parasites are responsible for several serious human diseases with symptoms such as lymphoedema, elephantiasis, and blindness. an understanding of how these parasites pass through developmental checkpoints may elucidate the general mechanisms of these illnesses and suggest potential targets for intervention. a useful model system for the study of human filariasis is the related nematode dirofilaria immitis, the causative agent of dog heartworm disease. in d. immitis, molting from the thi ...200211814569
effect of short-term coyote removal on populations of coyote helminths.coyote (canis latrans) removal programs often are initiated despite the potential population regulatory mechanism of parasitism with increased coyote density. we investigated the effect of intensive, short-term coyote removal on population levels of helminths in juvenile and adult coyotes from western texas. coyotes were killed by aerial gunning every 3 mo for 2 yr on two 5,000 ha areas, which reduced the overall coyote density of these areas by about 50%. two other 5,000 ha areas were used as c ...200211838229
recombinant dirofilaria immitis polyprotein that stimulates murine b cells to produce nonspecific polyclonal immunoglobulin e antibody.nonspecific immunoglobulin e (ige) production is an event characteristically observed in parasitic helminth infections, but its mechanisms are still unclear. to define these mechanisms, we prepared a recombinant dirofilaria immitis protein (rdiag) and assessed its effect on nonspecific ige production. rdiag preferentially induced nonspecific ige production, without eliciting specific ige production, as well as a th2-type cytokine profile (high interleukin-4 [il-4] and il-10 production but low ga ...200211854206
dermatitis associated with dirofilaria (nochtiella) repens microfilariae in dogs from central italy.pruritic dermatitis associated with dirofilaria (nochtiella) repens microfilariae in the blood was diagnosed in 22 dogs from fermo (central italy). according to the history, previous unsuccessful treatments with corticosteroids, antibiotics, restricted diet, flea control, levamisole and ivermectin were recorded in 17 dogs (77.3%). the combined filtration tests and antigen tests, performed during the study, were negative for dirofilaria immitis and acanthocheilonema reconditum in each case. derma ...200212061238
specific polymerase chain reaction for differential diagnosis of dirofilaria immitis and dipetalonema reconditum using primers derived from internal transcribed spacer region 2 (its2).both dirofilaria immiti and dipetalonema reconditum may be found in blood of infected dogs but it is not easy to distinguish d. immitis from d. reconditum in morphology. we cloned and sequenced the contiguous internal transcribed spacer (its) region, its1-5.8s-its2, of these two different parasites and published on genbank as af217800 for d. immiti and af217801 for d. reconditum in this study. we designed two pairs of specific primers derived from its2 being used for polymerase chain reaction (p ...200212062512
the discovery of nephrouroameba: was it real or not?in 1938 procaccini showed scientific interest in a new kind of ameba, and called it "nephrouroameba" from which the disease "nephrouroamebiasis" is derived. he wrote a paper titled "la nefrouroamoebiasi" thus describing its history, the biopathogenetic evolutionary cycle of the protozoon, its therapeutic, epidemiological, anatomo-biological, diagnostic, cultural, biological and morphological features. between 1934 and 1939, procaccini had the opportunity to follow many patients belonging to a gr ...200212097751
diagnosis and treatment of chronic cough due to gastro-esophageal reflux disease and postnasal drip syndrome.gastro-esophageal reflux disease (gerd) and postnasal drip syndrome (pnds) are common causes of chronic cough. in patients with normal chest radiographs, gerd most likely causes cough by an esophageal-bronchial reflex. when gerd causes cough, there may be no gastrointestinal symptoms up to 75% of the time. while 24-h esophageal ph monitoring is the most sensitive and specific test in linking gerd and cough in a cause and effect relationship, it has its limitations. there is no general agreement ...200212099775
structure and expression of chitin synthase in the parasitic nematode dirofilaria immitis. 200212106879
human dirofilariasis in costa rica. a report of three new cases of dirofilaria immitis infection. 200212116867
human pulmonary dirofilariasis in el salvador. 200212116868
glomerulonephritis associated with simultaneous canine adenovirus-1 and dirofilaria immitis infection in a dog.this article describes a case of glomerulonephritis and immunocomplex (igm, igg and c3c) deposition in the mesangium and basement membranes of a 2-year-old dog with canine viral hepatitis and dirofilariasis. the deposits observed in the mesangium were in the vicinity of cells with viral replication. however, no clear relationship was found between viral replication and the deposition of immunocomplexes in the glomerular capillary basement membranes, which may be the reason why these deposits hav ...200212121044
a dirofilaria immitis polyprotein up-regulates nitric oxide production.we investigated the effect of recombinant dirofilaria immitis polyprotein (rdiag) on nitric oxide (no) production by peritoneal macrophages. rdiag induced no production by macrophages from wild-type and lipopolysaccharide-hyporesponsive c3h/hej, but not cd40(-/-), mice. these results suggest that cd40 is involved in rdiag-driven no production by murine macrophages.200212183583
surgical extraction of transplanted adult dirofilaria immitis in cats.a jugular venotomy technique was developed to attempt extraction of dirofilaria immitis in cats. seven cats were first examined by cardiac ultrasound to establish the location of adult d. immitis that had been inserted by jugular venotomy. the efficiency of an extractor catheter in surgically removing filariae similarly inserted into 13 experimental cats was then assessed. a mean extraction success rate of 96% was achieved. this technique would seem to be worthy of clinical use provided the fila ...200212184501
cutaneous lesions in dogs with dirofilaria (nochtiella) repens infestation and concurrent tick-borne transmitted diseases.a pruritic dermatitis characterized by the presence of erythema, papules, focal or multifocal alopecia, crusting and nodules was seen in 28 dogs with dirofilaria repens microfilariae infestation in an endemic area in north-west italy. previous unsuccessful nonspecific antipruritic treatments, flea control and restricted diet were recorded in 53.6% of the patients. both the knott and the antigen tests were negative for dirofilaria immitis and acanthocheilonema reconditum. concurrent babesiosis an ...200212358611
the first human case of hepatic dirofilariasis.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-year-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 s ...200212378024
validation for use with coyotes (canis latrans) of a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for dirofilaria immitis.serological tests offer a potentially powerful tool for monitoring parasites in wildlife populations. however, such tests must be validated before using them with target wildlife populations. we evaluated in coyotes (canis latrans) the performance of a commercially available serological test used to detect canine heartworm (dirofilaria immitis) in domestic dogs. we obtained 265 coyote carcasses and serological specimens from 54 additional coyotes from several regions of california, usa. we necro ...200212383624
tunga penetrans: molecular identification of wolbachia endobacteria and their recognition by antibodies against proteins of endobacteria from filarial parasites.in search of wolbachia in human parasites, wolbachia were identified in the sand flea tunga penetrans. pcr and dna sequencing of the bacterial 16s rdna, the ftsz cell division protein, the wolbachia surface protein (wsp) and the wolbachia aspartate aminotransferase genes revealed a high similarity to the respective sequences of endosymbionts of filarial nematodes. using these sequences a phylogenetic tree was generated, that indicates a close relationship between wolbachia from t. penetrans and ...200212856318
dirofilaria immitis: further characterization of the transglutaminase enzyme and its role in larval molting.we recently reported the cdna cloning and functional characterization of a novel transglutaminase (tgase) from the dog filarial parasite dirofilaria immitis. d. immitis tgase (ditg) has no sequence similarity with any other known tgase, but has significant similarity to protein disulfide isomerase (pdi)-related endoplasmic reticulum protein erp60. in the present study. we further characterized the recombinant ditg (rditg) and studied its role in the molting process of third-stage larvae. the enz ...200211954902
aedes albopictus is a natural vector of dirofilaria immitis in italy.investigations were carried out in padova town (veneto region, ne italy) to define the actual role of aedes albopictus in the natural transmission of dirofilaria nematodes, and to assess the risk that its presence might represent for veterinary and medical health. during summer 2000-2002 daytime captures of human-attracted mosquitoes were carried out in three areas of the town. the presence of filarial parasites in mosquitoes was evaluated by pcr, and sequencing confirmed species assessment. dna ...200314729167
prevalence and risk factors for heartworm infection in cats from northern florida.necropsies were performed on 630 adult cats in northern florida to determine the prevalence and risk factors for heartworm infection in cats of this region. heartworms were identified in 4.9% of cats, and serological evidence of heartworm exposure was present in 17% of cats. not all cats from which heartworms were recovered were seropositive for heartworm antigen or antibody. there was no association between heartworm infection and co-infection with feline leukemia virus (felv) or feline immunod ...200314736717
an antigen detection assay for diagnosing filariasis.in this study we examined the diagnostic potential of monoclonal antibodies (mab) reactive to antigens of adult brugia malayi, their microfilariae and antigen of dirofilaria immitis. the mab of clone 17e10, which were of igm isotype, reacted to the inner cuticles and internal content of both male and female worms and also to the sheath and internal content of microfilariae in utero. however, these mab did not react to the sheath of blood circulating microfilariae. the mab 17e10 produced a smear ...200315198342
a 44-year-old woman with dry cough and solitary nodule. 200314517132
canine heartworms in coyotes in illinois.canine heartworm (dirofilaria immitis) disease affects wild canids and may be a factor impacting the health and population dynamics of coyotes (canis latrans). coyotes may serve also as a potential reservoir for transmission of these parasites to domestic dogs. we investigated 920 coyotes harvested by hunters and trappers throughout illinois (usa) from 1995-1997. the objectives of the study were to: 1) survey the regional prevalence and intensity of heartworms in coyotes in illinois, 2) determin ...200314567221
helminths of the ocelot from southern texas.in the usa, the ocelot (leopardus pardalis) is a highly endangered felid found only in a few remaining vestiges of native thornshrub brushland in the lower rio grande valley (lrgv) of extreme southern texas. from 1987-1998, carcasses of 15 adult ocelots that died of vehicular accidents or natural causes were examined for helminths. all cats had 1-8 (mean = 3) helminth species. all were infected with 1-101 (mean +/- se = 32 +/- 7) toxascaris leonina. other helminths from these ocelots were alaria ...200314567231
diagnosis of human filariases (except onchocerciasis).the traditional method of diagnosing filarial infections is to examine blood or skin samples for microfilariae and for many this is still the standard procedure. however, since the present global campaign to eliminate lymphatic filariasis new diagnostic tools have emerged like pcr, antigen detection using finger-prick blood taken during the day and ultrasound to visualize adult worms. the last two can be applied in endemic countries with limited resources and enable the detection of early infect ...200314587698
immunological role of the endosymbionts of dirofilaria immitis: the wolbachia surface protein activates canine neutrophils with production of il-8.filarial nematodes, including dirofilaria immitis and d. repens, harbour intracellular bacteria belonging to the genus wolbachia. these bacteria have been implicated in the pathogenesis of filarial diseases, possibly through their endotoxins. recent studies have shown that a major surface protein of wolbachia (wsp) induces a specific igg response in hosts infected by d. immitis. wsp from the wolbachia of d. immitis was produced in recombinant form. the purified protein was used in stimulation as ...200314597281
neurologic complications after melarsomine dihydrochloride treatment for dirofilaria immitis in three dogs.melarsomine dihydrochloride is highly effective against both sexes of adult and l5 dirofilaria immitis. common adverse reactions include injection site irritation and reluctance to move. neurologic complications associated with i.m. injection of melarsomine dihydrochloride for treatment of heartworm disease in 3 dogs are described. different degrees of neurologic complications have been identified; the pathophysiologic features are unknown. it is speculated that the compound migrates out of the ...200314627097
first finding of dirofilaria repens in a natural population of aedes albopictus.the invasive mosquito aedes albopictus (skuse) (diptera: culicidae) has become widespread in italy during the past decade. also italy has foci of canine filariasis caused by dirofilaria (spirurida: onchocercidae), due to subcutaneous d. repens railliet & henry as well as the dog heartworm d. immitis (leidy) transmitted by various vector mosquitoes (diptera: culicidae). in 2002, at fiumicino, west of rome (lazio region), 17% of dogs were found to have d. repens microfilariae in peripheral blood. ...200314651660
analysis of 16s rrna gene sequences of ehrlichia canis, anaplasma platys, and wolbachia species from canine blood in japan.in the present study, three canine blood samples from japan, that were suspected to be ehrlichia positive were examined. after sequencing the 16s rrna genes, each dog was found to be infected either with ehrlichia canis (kagoshima 1), anaplasma platys (okinawa 1), or wolbachia sp. (okinawa 2). phylogenic analysis was performed on these sequences. the nearly entire 16s rrna sequence of kagoshima 1 was found to be most similar to the sequences from oklahoma and venezuela e. canis strains (1 base p ...200312860708
two cases of cutaneous nodular dirofilariasis in the cat.cutaneous nodular dirofilariasis is occasionally reported in dogs but is rare in cats. this report describes two cases of cutaneous nodular lesions due to dirofilaria immitis adult parasites in domestic shorthaired cats living in an endemic area in northern italy.200312866930
[ocular dirofilariosis probably caused by dirofilaria immitis]. 200312882738
eurasian otter (lutra lutra), a definitive host for dirofilaria immitis.a mature male and a mature female dirofilaria immitis were found in the right ventricle of the heart of a naturally infected 2-yr-old male eurasian otter (lutra lutra) that had died of severe lung congestion at a zoo in south korea. both developing embryos and microfilariae were present in the uterus of the female d. immitis. although circulating microfilariae were not detected in blood or tissue, the eurasian otter may serve as a definitive host for d. immitis.200312885140
structure and organization of the mitochondrial genome of the canine heartworm, dirofilaria immitis.this study determined the complete mitochondrial (mt) genome sequence of the canine heartworm, dirofilaria immitis, and compared its structure, organization and other characteristics with onchocerca volvulus and other secernentean nematodes. the d. immitis mt genome is 13814 bp in size and contains 36 of the 37 genes typical of metazoan organisms, and lacks the atp synthetase subunit 8 gene. all of the genes are transcribed in the same direction. for the entire genome, the nucleotide contents ar ...200312885187
feline advantage heart (imidacloprid and moxidectin) topical solution as monthly treatment for prevention of heartworm infection (dirofilaria immitis) and control of fleas (ctenocephalides felis) on cats. 200312928881
comparative studies on the biology and filarial susceptibility of selected blood-feeding and autogenous aedes togoi sub-colonies.blood-feeding and autogenous sub-colonies were selected from a laboratory, stock colony of aedes togoi, which was originally collected from koh nom sao, chanthaburi province, southeast thailand. comparative biology and filarial susceptibility between the two sub-colonies (blood-feeding: f11, f13; autogeny: f38, f40) were investigated to evaluate their viability and vectorial capacity. the results of comparison on biology revealed intraspecific differences, i.e., the average egg deposition/gravid ...200312937758
dirofilaria immitis infection of a snow leopard (uncia uncia) in a japanese zoo with mitochondrial dna analysis.three dog heartworms (dirofilaria immitis) were detected in the lumen of the right cardiac ventriculus and of the pulmonary artery of a captive female snow leopard (uncia uncia) that died of pancreatic carcinoma at a zoo in japan. neither clinical respiratory nor circulatory symptoms caused by the heartworm infection were observed. the filarial worms were identified as d. immitis from the morphologic characteristics of the esophagus, the presence of faint longitudinal ridges on the cuticular sur ...200312951432
prevalence and distribution of dirofilaria immitis in domestic dogs from ankara and vicinity in turkey.a total of 280 dogs in ankara and vicinity were examined from november 2000 through december 2001 by the petchek antigen elisa and polycarbonate filter-acid phosphatase histochemical staining techniques for dirofilaria immitis infection. dirofilaria immitis (heartworm) infection was found in 26 dogs (9.3%), all of which were kept always outdoors and non prophylacted by their owners. the distribution of heartworm infected dogs was not uniform. infection with d. immitis was correlated with differe ...200312666502
human dirofilariasis in costa rica: dirofilaria immitis in periorbital tissues. 200312669355
human pulmonary dirofilariasis in taiwan.pulmonary dirofilariasis is a rare zoonotic disease in the united states. most reported cases were from the southeastern or gulf states. the disease is caused by dirofilaria immitis (dog heartworm), a filarial nematode, and is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes. a 69-year-old asymptomatic man was found to have a pulmonary nodular lesion on chest x-ray during routine health examination. the lesion was resected, and pulmonary dirofilariasis was diagnosed based on histological findings. postoperat ...200312684611
[migrating subcutaneous swellings due to dirofilariasis after a visit to the south of france].in two women, aged 59 and 31 years, who suffered from an itching cutaneous nodule, subcutaneous dirofilariasis was diagnosed. the disease is characterised by recurrent migrating subcutaneous nodules and swellings. both patients recently visited the south of france. laboratory examination revealed a moderate eosinophilia. in both patients, filaria antibodies were demonstrated during the course of the disease and a nodule was eventually resected. parasitological examination revealed dirofilaria re ...200312693088
kidney ultrastructural lesions in dogs experimentally infected with dirofilaria immitis (leidy, 1856).kidneys of 16 beagles with experimentally induced heartworm (dirofilaria immitis) infections and 4 heartworm-nai;ve dogs were studied by light and electron microscopy. the infections were induced either by subcutaneous injection of infective larvae or by the transplantation of adult parasites, and infection periods varied from 111 to 818 days and 365 to 923 days, respectively. one control group of heartworm-naïve dogs and four groups of heartworm-infected dogs, which were divided according to th ...200312695040
images in medicine. human pulmonary dirofilariasis. 200312703142
canine dirofilariasis in the region of conceição lagoon, florianópolis, and in the military police kennel, são josé, state of santa catarina, brazil.eighty dogs from a locality west of the conceição lagoon, in the santa catarina island, florianópolis municipality, state of santa catarina, brazil, were examined for dirofilariasis by thick smear and by modified knott's method. twelve of them (15%) were positive, five only by knott's, two only by thick smear and five by both methods. positive dogs were observed in several parts of the locality, indicating that the parasite is widespread. prevalence was significantly higher in older animals. siz ...200312719138
comparison of results of three commercial heartworm antigen test kits in dogs with low heartworm burdens.to compare results of 3 commercial heartworm antigen test kits performed on serum samples from dogs infected with low numbers of adult female heartworms.200312725308
serologic prevalence of dirofilaria immitis, ehrlichia canis, and borrelia burgdorferi infections in brazil.dogs infected with dirofilaria immitis, ehrlichia canis, or borrelia burgdorferi may show nonspecific clinical signs or may be asymptomatic. in brazil, e. canis and d. immitis infections are frequently diagnosed based on the presence of classical signs; however, serologic tests are seldom performed to confirm the presence of infection. to estimate the seroprevalence of these three canine diseases in brazil, 2,553 dogs presented at veterinary practices for various tests, routine treatments, or ex ...200312756637
reconstructing the spread of dirofilaria immitis in california coyotes.dirofilaria immitis is a filarial nematode parasite that is currently widely enzootic in dog and coyote (canis latrans) populations of california. weak historical evidence suggests that the initial focus of d. immitis in california occurred 3 decades ago in the sierra nevada foothills (snf) and spread to other parts of california thereafter. however, this hypothesis is difficult to evaluate because of the lack of epidemiological studies on heartworm in california before 1970. we investigated thi ...200312760647
human pulmonary dirofilariasis in a patient whose clinical condition altered during follow-up.pulmonary dirofilariasis is a rare disease. we have experienced a case which developed pleural effusion while being followed, rendering it difficult to establish the diagnosis. the patient, a 53-year-old woman, had previously undergone two operations; one for uterine cancer and another for breast cancer. she developed a cough in february 2002, and chest computed tomography (ct) scans disclosed a nodular mass in the right lung. a biopsy revealed a fibrous nodule with macrophage aggregation. pleur ...200312776955
seroprevalence of canine dirofilariosis in south korea.eight-hundred and forty eight dogs (480 females and 368 males) not on chemoprophylaxis were examined for dirofilaria immitis infection from 2001 to 2002. three-hundred and thirty nine (40.0%) of 848 samples tested with antigen detecting elisa kits showed positive reaction for d. immitis antigen. more male (43.5%) than female (37.3%) dogs were affected in this study, although there was no significant difference between both groups. chi2 analysis showed that female and male dogs of shoreline areas ...200312788258
[investigation on zoonoses among veterinary technicians].we conducted a survey on how much veterinary clinics staff, mostly veterinary technicians, know about zoonosis and how extensively they inform pet owners of ways to prevent zoonosis. the number of people who took part in the survey was 1,057. the ratio of people who said their knowledge on zoonosis is "neither sufficient nor insufficient" was 53.8%, which is larger than the ratio of people who replied "sufficient" or "insufficient." the percentage of those who said their way of giving informatio ...200312806928
various types of dirofilaria immitis polyproteins selectively induce a th2-type immune response.dirofilaria immitis polyproteins (diags) are found as 15-kda monomeric and 30-kda dimeric forms in excretory-secretory products of the adult worm. we evaluated the ability of various types of recombinant diag (rdiag; v1 and v2 as monomers and v1v2, v2v1, v1v1, and v2v2 as dimers) to influence th1/th2 immune responses. v1-, v1vx- and v2-, v2vx-driven nonspecific immunoglobulin e (ige) production peaked at 21 and 14 days after administration, respectively. dimer-induced ige response was an interes ...200312819063
[eosinophilic pleural effusion by dirofilariasis].a 44-year-old man visited our hospital because of right chest pain. pleural effusion in the right lung was detected on a chest radiograph. a chest ct scan demonstrated no abnormal lesions in either lung field, but passive atelectasis due to the pleural effusion was present. since many eosinophils were found in the exudative pleural effusion, a parasitic infection was suspected. an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test led to a diagnosis of eosinophilic pleural effusion by dirofilariasis. pleura ...200312822426
immunoglobulin g antibodies against the endosymbionts of filarial nematodes (wolbachia) in patients with pulmonary dirofilariasis.the dog parasite dirofilaria immitis can infect humans. patients with pulmonary dirofilariasis were tested for immunoglobulin g (igg) antibodies against the surface protein of wolbachia, the bacterial endosymbiont of d. immitis. these patients showed significantly higher igg titers than healthy individuals from areas in which d. immitis was endemic as well as areas in which it was not endemic. titration of anti-wolbachia surface protein igg could become useful for diagnostic applications.200312522059
diurnal variation in microfilaremia in a cat experimentally infected with larvae of dirofilaria immitis.in five healthy mongrel female cats used, four cats (cats 1-4) were experimentally inoculated with 100-123 larvae (l(3)) of dirofilaria immitis. cat 5 was an uninfected control. only cat 1 became microfilaremic on day 201 after inoculation and the diurnal changes in the microfilaria population were monitored every 2 h for 24 h on day 237 when a sufficient number of microfilaria were detected in the circulation. the maximum number of microfilaria in the blood (1,350/ml) occurred at 9:00 p.m. and ...200312531301
what is your diagnosis? severe heartworm disease. 200312555976
systematic review of the distribution of the major vector-borne parasitic infections in dogs and cats in europe.on the basis of a systematic review of the literature, this paper provides the first evidence-based maps of the distribution of the major vector-borne parasitic infections of dogs and cats in europe. from an initial survey of 894 publications, data from 268 were analysed, summarised and collated. prevalence data were used to calculate the force of infection to provide distribution and incidence maps for canine infections with leishmania infantum, dirofilaria immitis, dirofilaria repens, babesia ...200312572938
th1 response in balb/c mice immunized with dirofilaria immitis soluble antigens: a possible role for wolbachia?the immune response to filarial infection has been shown to be of both the th1 and th2 types. studies aimed at developing immunization strategies against dirofilaria immitis infection in dogs have shown that protection against larval challenge is of the th2 type and that several proteins are recognized by immunized or infected animals. the bacterial endosymbiont wolbachia, harbored by many filarial species including d. immitis, has recently been shown to interact with the host immune system. spe ...200312581590
prevalence of canine dirofilariasis in taiwan.between 1993 and 1997, 837 stray dogs from north taiwan were necropsied and examined for dog heartworm infections. a thick smear from 20 ml of peripheral blood from each dog was also prepared and examined for microfilariae (mf). the overall prevalence of adult worms in the dog population was 57%. the prevalence of mf in 1228 house dogs from different parts of taiwan was also determined from 20 ml of peripheral blood in the same way. the overall prevalence of mf was 25%, with a value of 30% in th ...200312590670
a potential role for phenylalanine hydroxylase in mosquito immune responses.in mosquitoes the melanotic encapsulation immune response is an important resistance mechanism against filarial worms and malaria parasites. the rate limiting substrate for melanin production is tyrosine that is hydroxylated by phenoloxidase (po) to produce 3, 4-dihydroxyphenylalanine. the single pathway for endogenous production of tyrosine is by hydroxylation of phenylalanine by phenylalanine hydroxylase (pah). in this study we describe a potential role for pah in melanotic immune responses in ...200312609519
immunohistochemical/immunogold detection and distribution of the endosymbiont wolbachia of dirofilaria immitis and brugia pahangi using a polyclonal antiserum raised against wsp (wolbachia surface protein).intracellular bacteria in filarial nematodes were described as early as the 1970s, yet it was only with the work on dirofilaria immitis, the agent of canine and feline heartworm disease, that these microorganisms were identified as belonging to wolbachia, a genus known for encompassing bacteria infecting insects and other arthropods. the implications for the presence of intracellular bacteria in filarial nematodes is now the subject of intense research, particularly regarding their role in the i ...200312632152
comparison of canine heartworm removal rates using flexible alligator forceps guided by transesophageal echocardiography and fluoroscopy.fluoroscopy (fs)- or transesophageal echocardiography (tee)-guided heartworm removal was carried out using flexible alligator forceps to compare the rate of worm removal. as a result, the worm removal rates were similar between the two procedures. however, the tee-guided procedure does not involve radiation exposure, and facilitates observation of worms in the cardiac chamber and pulmonary artery. therefore, the tee-guided procedure is thought to be more useful than the fs-guided procedure in cl ...200312655124
characterization of monoclonal antibodies against gnathostoma nipponicum.monoclonal antibodies (mabs) were produced against the proteins of advanced third-stage larvae (adl3) of gnathostoma nipponicum. six mabs (gn2c3, gn2h3, gn4c3, gn4e9, gnsh1, and gn10b7) were obtained as determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa). gn4e9 and gnsh1 seemed to be genus-specific, as they did not cross-react with anisakis sp., dirofilaria immitis, gongylonema pulchrum, toxocara canis, trichinella sp., trichuris vulpis, metagonimus sp., or spirometra erinaceieuropaei by eli ...200312659325
canine filariosis in umbria: an update of the occurrence one year after the first observation of autochthonous foci.following the first observation of two autochthonous foci of canine filariosis occurred in umbria region in the year 2001, a survey on prevalence and risk factors was conducted 12 months later to better understand the actual entity of the dirofilaria problem in umbria region. blood samples were collected between january and december 2002 from 2406 dogs living in a total of 7 towns located in the identified areas at risk. blood samples were tested by a modified knott's technique to evaluate the m ...200315267001
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