Publications

endogenous lipid pneumonia in a dog.	endogenous lipid pneumonia has previously been diagnosed in dogs only once. this report describes a case in a dog with a persistent cough, in which the histological diagnosis was based on the presence of numerous foamy macrophages that filled the alveoli and contained small sudanophilic vacuoles. the appearance of endogenous lipid pneumonia in this animal was accompanied by dirofilaria immitis infection and chronic bronchitis.	2006	16997006
spatial and temporal transmission risk of dirofilaria immitis in argentina.	the aim of this work was to assess spatial and seasonal dirofilaria immitis transmission risk throughout argentina with models based on the temperature threshold below which filarial development will not proceed in the mosquito (i.e. 14 degrees c), the occurrence and the number of potential vector mosquito species, and the heartworm development units derived from the degree-days concept. the four models showed a similar increasing southwest-northeast tendency and correlated significantly with ca ...	2006	17027990
high levels of serum thromboxane b2 are generated during human pulmonary dirofilariosis.	the canine parasite dirofilaria immitis can infect humans. patients with pulmonary dirofilariosis develop significantly higher thromboxane b2 levels than healthy individuals living in areas where dirofilariosis is endemic and in areas where dirofilariosis is not endemic. the possible role of wolbachia bacteria in the appearance of this eicosanoid is discussed.	2006	17028222
discrimination between six species of canine microfilariae by a single polymerase chain reaction.	canine dirofilariasis caused by dirofilaria immitis is usually diagnosed by specific antigen testing and/or identification of microfilariae. however, d. immitis and at least six other filariae can produce canine microfilaremias with negative heartworm antigen tests. discriminating these can be of clinical importance. to resolve discordant diagnoses by two diagnostic laboratories in an antigen-negative, microfilaremic dog recently imported into the us from europe we developed a simple molecular m ...	2006	16289566
dirofilariasis in argentina: historical review and first report of dirofilaria immitis in a natural mosquito population.	argentina is one of the four south american countries where the presence of dirofilaria immitis is currently confirmed. the objective of this study was to review information on dirofilariasis in the country, and to report our recent findings on mosquito vectors. since the first report of dogs with unidentified microfilariae in 1926, d. immitis was found in seven provinces and canine prevalence ranged 0-71% at local scale. national prevalence was 8% by the end of the 1980s and current information ...	2006	16310953
increase in cellular immune responses in onchocerca-infected cattle after treatment with the microfilaricide, milbemycin.	lymphocytes from onchocerca-infected steers treated with the microfilaricide, milbemycin showed increased proliferation when challenged with antigen from dirofilaria immitis, concanavalin a, tuberculin and tetanus toxoid, compared with untreated animals. this paper confirms that onchocerca infection induces immunosuppression to filarial and non-filarial antigens. it raises the possibility that filarial-induced immunosuppression may increase the susceptibility to mycobacterial infections and redu ...	2006	16229954
prevalence and epidemiological aspects of dirofilaria immitis in dogs from kayseri province, turkey.	this study was conducted to determine the prevalence of dirofilaria immitis infection and to investigate the risk factors related to heartworm disease in dogs from kayseri, turkey. blood samples were collected from 280 dogs from may 2005 to march 2006 and were examined by membrane filtration-acid phosphatase histochemical staining and antigen elisa techniques to detect circulating microfilariae and antigens of d. immitis, respectively. of the total of 280 dogs, 27 were positive for d. immitis wi ...	2007	17064741
a retrospective study of the clinical hematology and the serum biochemistry tests made on canine dirofilariasis cases in an animal hospital population in bangkok, thailand.	heartworm disease, caused by the filarial nematode, dirofilaria immitis, is a major, potentially life-threatening disease of dogs, with worldwide distribution and global significance. it is not only of veterinary importance but it also has zoonotic potential in many regions. it is considered as an endemic disease in thailand, although clinical data about the disease is rarely reported. the objectives of this study were to characterize the clinical hematology and the biochemistry of canine dirofi ...	2007	17095027
dogs with patent dirofilaria immitis infection have higher expression of circulating il-4, il-10 and inos mrna than those with occult infection.	dirofilaria immitis is the agent of canine heartworm disease, in which adult worms reside in the pulmonary arteries, producing first stage larvae (microfilariae) that are released into the bloodstream. the present work describes the cytokine and inos mrna expression in the peripheral blood of naturally infected dogs classified as either microfilariemic or amicrofilariemic. results show that microfilariemic dogs had higher expression of il-4 and inos mrna than amicrofilariemic dogs. furthermore, ...	2007	17112598
gray foxes (urocyon cinereoargenteus) as a potential reservoir of a bartonella clarridgeiae-like bacterium and domestic dogs as part of a sentinel system for surveillance of zoonotic arthropod-borne pathogens in northern california.	two species of bartonella, a novel bartonella clarridgeiae-like bacterium and b. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii, were isolated from rural dogs and gray foxes in northern california. a novel b. clarridgeiae-like species was isolated from 3 (1.7%) of 182 dogs and 22 (42%) of 53 gray foxes, while b. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii was isolated from 1 dog (0.5%) and 5 gray foxes (9.4%). pcr and dna sequence analyses of the citrate synthase (glta) gene and the 16s-23s intergenic spacer region suggested that s ...	2007	17553970
prevalence of the dirofilaria immitis infection in dogs from merida, yucatan, mexico.	the aim of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of dirofilaria immitis infection, and to examine the relationship between host factors (gender, age and breed) and d. immitis infection in dogs. the study was designed as a cross-sectional study. a total of 676 dogs were examined for d. immitis infection. adult worms (necropsy) and blood samples were collected from all animals for diagnosis of d. immitis. blood samples were examined using a modified knott's and thick drop techniques. fi ...	2007	17630215
seroprevalence of dirofilaria immitis, feline leukemia virus, and feline immunodeficiency virus infection among dogs and cats exported from the 2005 gulf coast hurricane disaster area.	to determine seroprevalence of dirofilariasis in dogs and seroprevalences of dirofilariasis, felv infection, and fiv infection in cats exported from the gulf coast region following the 2005 hurricanes.	2007	17630887
molecular survey of dirofilaria immitis and dirofilaria repens by direct pcr for wild caught mosquitoes in the republic of korea.	adult mosquito collections using new jersey light traps and black-hole light traps were conducted to determine the potential vectors and the relative mosquito infection rates of dirofilaria immitis and dirofilaria repens in gyeonggi and gangwon provinces, republic of korea, 2005. dirofilaria spp. were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (pcr) using species-specific primers for d. immitis and d. repens. minimum field infection rates (mfir) [mfir = (number infected pools/total number of mosquit ...	2007	17644255
dirofilaria immitis infection in dogs: unusually located and unusual findings.	clinical, blood, serum biochemistry, and parasitological assessments were performed on four hospitalized dogs, not in good general condition, in a study carried out to determine the prevalence of general parasitic infections. hematological and biochemical parameters and electrocardiographic recording of the animals were determined during the general clinical examinations. four dogs were indicated to have been infected with dirofilaria immitis by using modified knott's method, and the microfilari ...	2007	17659383
membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis type iii in a simultaneous infection of leishmania infantum and dirofilaria immitis in a dog.	in this report a 9-year-old female german shepherd dog with a membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (mpgn) type iii associated with concomitant infection of dirofilaria immitis and leishmania infantum is presented. light microscopic evaluation of kidney revealed a diffuse hypercellularity and thickening of glomerular basement membrane. heavy and coarse granular complement c(3) deposition and a weaker positive reaction to immunoglobulin g were present along peripheral glomerular basement membr ...	2007	17823406
infectious disease monitoring of the endangered hawaiian monk seal.	as part of conservation efforts between 1997 and 2001, more than 25% (332 animals) of the endangered hawaiian monk seal (monachus schauinslandi) population was sampled in the northwestern hawaiian islands. serum samples were tested for antibodies to viruses, bacteria, and parasites known to cause morbidity and mortality in other marine mammal species. antibodies were found to phocine herpesvirus-1 by using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, but seropositive results were not confirmed by virus ...	2007	17495307
experimental infection of dirofilaria immitis in raccoon dogs.	canine heartworm (dirofilaria immitis) is a nematode that naturally parasitizes in the pulmonary arteries and the right ventricle of domestic dogs (canis familiaris) as final hosts. japanese raccoon dogs (nyctereutes procyonoides viverrinus) also are known to be susceptible to infection by the parasite. however, prevalence of this infection among free-ranging raccoon dogs is low and so is the worm burden. to examine the susceptibility of the raccoon dog to d. immitis infection, 3 raccoon dogs an ...	2007	17539433
changes in the levels of eicosanoids in cats naturally and experimentally infected with dirofilaria immitis.	feline heartworm (dirofilaria immitis) infection is a severe, life-threatening disease. the eicosanoids are lipid mediators derived from the metabolism of the arachidonic acid, involved in the regulation of the immune response and of inflammatory reactions. in this study, naturally infected cats showed significant higher levels of prostaglandin e(2) (pge2), thromboxane b(2) (txb(2)) and leukotriene b(4) (ltb4) than uninfected cats. changes in the levels of eicosanoids during the infection were o ...	2007	17544219
inos expression is stimulated by the major surface protein (rwsp) from wolbachia bacterial endosymbiont of dirofilaria immitis following subcutaneous injection in mice.	the bacterial endosymbiont wolbachia of several species of filarial nematodes plays an important role in the inflammatory pathology of filariasis. nitric oxide (no) production has also been implicated in the immune response during filarial infections. here we present data indicating that a recombinant wolbachia surface protein (rwsp) induces inos mrna expression and no production, as well as ifn-gamma and a th1-type antibody response, in inoculated balb/c mice. this effect is not observed when m ...	2007	17126589
immunopathology of dirofilaria immitis infection.	heartworm disease caused by dirofilaria immitis affects canine and feline hosts, with infections occasionally being reported in humans. studies have shown that both dirofilarial antigens and those derived from its bacterial endosymbiont wolbachia, interact with the host organism during canine, feline and human infections and participate in the development of the pathology and in the regulation of the host's immune response. both innate and acquired immune responses are observed and the developme ...	2007	17216316
ruptured aortic aneurysm in a coyote (canis latrans) from south carolina.	a radio-collared adult female coyote (canis latrans) from south carolina was found dead with no apparent signs of trauma or struggle. necropsy revealed a ruptured aortic aneurysm within the thoracic cavity as well as severe heartworm infection, with parasites present in the caudal vena cava. histologically, inflammatory cell infiltrates were frequent in the aneurysm and consisted of eosinophils, neutrophils, lymphocytes, plasma cells, and macrophages. bacteria, fungi, and parasites were not foun ...	2007	17939363
what is your diagnosis? extradural left-sided compressive lesion.		2007	17362153
a serological survey of dirofilaria immitis infection in pet dogs of busan, korea, and effects of chemoprophylaxis.	the status of dirofilaria immitis infection was assessed in pet dogs of busan, korea, and chemoprophylactic effects of microfilaricidal medication were evaluated. a total of 294 pet dogs older than 6 mo were examined, 217 of which had been maintained indoors, and 77 had been kept outdoors. the snapr kit and direct microscopic examinations of the peripheral blood were used. the mean overall parasite positive rates were 10.2% and 6.5%, respectively. outdoor dogs evidenced adult worm infection rate ...	2007	17374975
attraction of mosquitoes to domestic cats in a heartworm enzootic region.	heartworm disease is caused by a mosquito-borne parasite that can affect many different mammalian species and has worldwide distribution. the agent, dirofilaria immitis (leidy 1856), infect mainly dogs but feline infection have been frequently reported in the last decade. feline heartworm infection is difficult to detect, therefore, low reported prevalence could reflect true low prevalence or poor diagnostic efficiency. as mosquitoes are known to be attracted differently by different mammalian s ...	2007	17383920
aedes albopictus and culex pipiens implicated as natural vectors of dirofilaria repens in central italy.	to identify the natural vectors of dirofilaria repens railliet et henry, entomological samplings were carried out in four sites within the lazio region, foci of canine subcutaneous dirofilariasis. collections were made in 2002-2003 by means of dog-baited and miniature centers for disease control and prevention traps as well as on humans. microscopy identified 1576 attracted mosquito females as belonging to six species, but molecular diagnostics detected filarial dna only in culex pipiens l. and ...	2007	18047207
[frequency of antibodies anti-ehrlichia canis, borrelia burgdorferi and dirofilaria immitis antigens in dogs from microrregion ilhéus-itabuna, state of bahia, brazil].	in order to detect the positivity to antigens of dirofilaria immitis, antibodies anti-borrelia burgdorferi and anti-ehrlichia canis, 200 canine blood samples were collected as followed: 100 from the municipality of ilhéus and 100 from itabuna, state of bahia. the kit snap 3dx (idexx laboratories) was used to performe serology. none of the tested animalswere positive for antigens of d. immitis. only two dogs of them were positive for antibodies anti-b. burgdorferi. from all the samples analyzed, ...	2007	18078596
survey of 11 western states for heartworm (dirofilaria immitis) infection, heartworm diagnostic and prevention protocols, and fecal examination protocols for gastrointestinal parasites.	heartworm infection in dogs and cats in the western united states is a fairly new phenomenon, and for this reason it is often considered to be of minimal significance. the purpose of this survey was to collect data from 11 western states (arizona, california, colorado, idaho, montana, nevada, new mexico, oregon, utah, washington, and wyoming) in an effort to assess awareness of heartworm disease and identify areas in which improvement in understanding is needed. to accomplish this goal, veterina ...	2007	18183548
evaluation of different methods for diagnosis of dirofilaria immitis.	dirofilaria immitis, a common parasite of the cardiovascular system of the carnivores all over the world, is reported from dogs, cats and, humans in iran. knott method is the most common test for its diagnosis in many regions including iran. in the present study, during one year period from 2002 to 2003, blood samples of 110 dogs were examined using modified knott method and commercial antigen detect test kit (witness chw ii kit). all dogs were subjected to necropsy to evaluate the specificity a ...	2007	19086566
a novel gene from brugia sp. that encodes a cytotoxic fatty acid binding protein allergen recognized by canine monoclonal ige and serum ige from infected dogs.	brugia pahangi infection of dogs is a well characterized model of human lymphatic filariasis in which sera consistently show igg or ige reactivity to a 35-kda antigen. using dog lymph node b cells, we previously established a heterohybridoma cell line producing canine monoclonal ige (cmab 2.39) that activates and degranulates canine mast cells, and specifically recognizes a 35-kda b. pahangi antigen. by affinity purification and sequencing of the native protein from b. pahangi adults, a 19-amino ...	2007	18314684
reassessing the definition of heartworm infection in cats.		2007	17975988
reproductive costs of the immune response of the autogenous mosquito culex pipiens molestus against inoculated dirofilaria immitis.	culex pipiens molestus is an autogenous mosquito, a vector of dirofilaria immitis in madeira island, and it mounts a melanotic encapsulation response when inoculated intrathoracically with d. immitis microfilariae (mf). because cx. p. molestus is autogenous, this mosquito is a good model from which to gain a better understand the relationship between oviposition and melanization, independent of the signaling pathways related to blood feeding. the present work assessed the impact follicle growth ...	2007	17979531
haplotype h1 of culex pipiens implicated as natural vector of dirofilaria immitis in an endemic area of western spain.	seven hundred and twenty five female culicid mosquitoes were captured in an area of western spain where dirofilaria immitis is endemic. pcr was applied for the detection of larval d. immitis dna in mosquitoes. the its-2 rdna region of the mosquito dna was also amplified and sequenced to characterize the haplotype of infected individuals. two cx. pipiens showed positive reaction to d. immitis dna, both specimens belonging to the haplotype h1. it is the first time that a culicid mosquito species i ...	2007	17979532
first notification in italy of cardiopulmonary filariosis (heartworm disease) in a wolf (canis lupus).	the authors report on the first notification of filariosis (heartworm disease) caused by dirofilaria immitis in a wolf (canis lupus) in italy. on account of this exceptional finding, the parasite was typed not only using traditional methods, such as stereomicroscopic examination, but also using highly innovative diagnostic methods, such as scanning electron microscope and molecular identification with the application of various recently developed methods (polymerase chain reaction and sequencing ...	2007	20422563
[cross-reaction evaluation of pcr-anaplasma platys positive dogs tested to anaplasma phagocytophilum antibodies by commercial elisa].	anaplasma platys, agent of canine cyclic thrombocytopenia parasites exclusively dogs platelets. its probable vector is the tick rhipicephalus sanguineus. among the existent diagnostic methods, the most used include: morulae identification in blood smears; antibody detection by indirect immunofluorescence; or dna amplification by polymerase chain reaction (pcr). recently a new commercial elisa (idexx®), capable of detecting a. phagocytophilum antibodies, has been developed. according to the manuf ...	2008	20059806
feline heartworm disease: a clinical review.	feline heartworm disease is caused by the filarial nematode dirofilaria immitis, and is transmitted by mosquitoes in heartworm-endemic areas worldwide. while dogs are the definitive hosts for this parasite, cats can also be infected, and the overall prevalence in cats is between 5% and 10% of that in dogs in any given area. the spectrum of feline presentations varies from asymptomatic infections to chronic respiratory signs, sometimes accompanied by chronic vomiting to acute death with no premon ...	2008	18042416
[arthropod-borne parasites of dogs, especially leishmania, in the kosovo and albania].	currently no information is available regarding canine arthropod-borne parasites in albania and the kosovo, especially the zoonotic protozoan leishmania infantum. presumably autochtonous cases of human leishmaniosis have been described for some areas (kosovo: ferizaj, gjakovo, pec, malisevo; albania: tirana, durres, elbasan, shkodra, vlore). in order to investigate the infection status of dogs of different origin sera from 272 animals (151 from albania - tirana, kamza and durres; 121 from the ko ...	2008	19066774
galectin and aldolase-like molecules are responsible for the specific ige response in humans exposed to dirofilaria immitis.	dirofilaria immitis is the agent of the heartworm disease in canids and felids, and of pulmonary dirofilariosis in man. like other filariae, d. immitis harbours endosymbion wolbachia bacteriae. in this work we analyse the response of specific ige antibodies against both d. immitis antigens and the wolbachia surface protein (wsp) in two groups of persons living in an area of canine endemia, one presenting high levels of total ige (group 1) and other with normal levels (group 2). infections with d ...	2008	19067840
canine and feline dirofilariasis.		2008	19086252
epidemiological survey on gastro-intestinal and blood-borne helminths of dogs in north-east gabon.	a survey of helminth parasites was carried out on 198 dogs living in almost complete liberty in villages in the northeast of gabon. faeces and blood samples were collected and analysed. dirofilaria immitis antigen was detected in 13.6% of dogs using the snap 3dx test, a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa). faecal examination revealed that 91.4% of dogs were infected by intestinal helminths. ascarids were found in 58.5% of the samples. trichuris vulpis was observed in ...	2008	19294992
a case of dirofilaria pulmonary infection coexisting with lung cancer.	dirofilaria immitis, the dog heartworm, may accidentally infect humans and manifest as a subpleural solitary or multiple pulmonary nodules that are often difficult to differentiate from primary or metastatic lung tumors. our patient had biopsy proven lung cancer and a second lesion found to be pulmonary dirofilariasis after excision. the coexistence of pulmonary infection and cancer must be considered whenever 2 or more lesions have different clinical and radiologic behavior. pulmonary dirofilar ...	2008	18329718
rapid detection of brugia malayi in mosquito vectors using a real-time fluorescence resonance energy transfer pcr and melting curve analysis.	we developed real-time fluorescence resonance energy transfer (fret) polymerase chain reaction (pcr) combined with melting curve analysis for detection of brugia malayi dna in blood-fed mosquitoes. real-time fret pcr is based on a fluorescence melting curve analysis of hybrid formed between amplicons generated from a family of repeated dna element, 153-bp hhai repeated sequence, specific to genus brugia and specific fluorophore-labeled probes. the b. malayi-infected mosquitoes were differentiate ...	2008	18337351
seroconversion to filarial antigens in australian defence force personnel in timor-leste.	to investigate whether australian soldiers were exposed to filarial parasites that cause lymphatic filariasis during a 6-month deployment to timor-leste, antifilarial antibody levels were measured in 907 soldiers using an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (elisa). initial testing using dirofilaria immitis antigen demonstrated that 49 of 907 (5.4%) soldiers developed antifilarial antibodies of the igg1 subclass after deployment, whereas 1 of 944 (0.1%) seroconverted to the igg4 subclass. when a s ...	2008	18385349
histopathological comparison of pulmonary artery lesions between raccoon dogs (nyctereutes procyonoides) and domestic dogs experimentally infected with dirofilaria immitis.	five raccoon dogs (nyctereutes procyonoides) and two domestic dogs (canis familiaris) were subcutaneously infected with 100 infective larvae (l3) of dirofilaria immitis. two and five worms, respectively, were collected from two of three raccoon dogs. villous endarteritis was found in the raccoon dog with five worms and two dogs at 116 days after infection. the number of recovered worms in the raccoon dogs was significantly smaller than that of the domestic dogs having 22 and 29 worms, while hist ...	2008	18388433
serological and molecular studies on dirofilaria immitis in dogs from turkey.	we estimated the prevalence of dirofilaria immitis infection in domestic dogs in five turkish provinces - sakarya, kocaeli, ankara, elazig and mersin - using a commercial elisa kit for detecting circulating antigen and a pcr test for detecting circulating microfilarial dna. a total of 211 whole-blood and serum samples were collected from dogs of various breeds, ages and life status (owned or stray). sample population characteristics were recorded and examined for differences in prevalence. addit ...	2008	18394211
field efficacy and safety of a combination of moxidectin and imidacloprid for the prevention of feline heartworm (dirofilaria immitis) infection.	throughout the end of march to beginning of may 2006, 212 owned cats and 608 owned dogs from a heavy endemic area for canine heartworm (hw) disease in northern italy have been examined to assess hw infection prevalence. both cats and dogs were clinically examined and blood samples were taken from each animal to be examined for hw antibody (ab). ab-positive cats were further examined for circulating microfilariae, hw antigens (ag) and by echocardiography (echo) to assess the presence of adult wor ...	2008	18395348
angiostrongylus vasorum and eucoleus aerophilus in foxes (vulpes vulpes) in great britain.	the nematode parasite angiostrongylus vasorum is a source of increasing concern in several parts of the world, where it causes significant disease in dogs. wild canids, especially foxes, are likely to have a role in the epidemiology of canine infection, and the parasite could also affect fox health and population dynamics. the heart and pulmonary vasculature of 546 foxes culled mostly by gamekeepers in great britain in 2005-2006 were examined by dissection and a modified flushing technique. fort ...	2008	18407416
canine and feline dirofilariasis: life cycle, pathophysiology, and diagnosis.	infection with the intravascular parasite dirofilaria immitis is an increasingly recognized problem in domestic dogs and cats. heartworm infection is preventable; however, once an animal is infected, heartworm disease and potentially life-threatening complications can develop. an understanding of the heartworm life cycle and transmission season, the limitations of testing methods, and the clinical signs of heartworm disease is necessary to provide clients with appropriate information regarding p ...	2008	18409140
zoonotic deep cutaneous filariasis--three pediatric cases from québec, canada.	three rare cases of pediatric québec-based zoonotic filarial nematode deep skin infections were reviewed. these rare cases were processed at our pediatric hospital within the last 6-year period. patient age, travel information, lesional characteristics, systemic findings, serology, histopathology, treatment, and follow-up were gathered from the submitting specimen and the treating physicians. species identification was performed by the parasitic disease branch, division of infectious and tropica ...	2008	18429786
serosurvey of pathogens in domestic dogs on the border of noël kempff mercado national park, bolivia.	the threat of disease transmission from domestic animals to wildlife has become recognized as an increasing concern within the wildlife community in recent years. domestic dogs pose a significant risk as reservoirs for infectious diseases, especially for wild canids. as part of a multifaceted ecologic study of maned wolves and other canids in the large, remote noël kempff mercado national park (nkmnp) in northeastern bolivia, 40 domestic dogs in two villages and at two smaller settlements border ...	2008	18432094
combined ivermectin and doxycycline treatment has microfilaricidal and adulticidal activity against dirofilaria immitis in experimentally infected dogs.	there is still a pressing need for effective adulticide treatment for human and animal filarial infections. like many filarial nematodes, dirofilaria immitis, the causative agent of canine heartworm disease, harbours the bacterial endosymbiont wolbachia, which has been shown to be essential for worm development, fecundity and survival. here the authors report the effect of different treatment regimens in dogs experimentally infected with adult d. immitis on microfilariemia, antigenemia, worm rec ...	2008	18433753
heartworm disease in animals and humans.	heartworm disease due to dirofilaria immitis continues to cause severe disease and even death in dogs and other animals in many parts of the world, even though safe, highly effective and convenient preventatives have been available for the past two decades. moreover, the parasite and vector mosquitoes continue to spread into areas where they have not been reported previously. heartworm societies have been established in the usa and japan and the first european dirofilaria days (fedd) conference ...	2008	18486691
percutaneous heartworm removal from dogs with severe heart worm (dirofilaria immitis) infestation.	canine heart worm disease is often life-threatening due to its various complications, including right side heart failure, caval syndrome and pulmonary eosinophilic granulomatosis. several preventive medications and melarsomine have been developed and they are very effective to control heartworm infestation. however, in a case of severe infestation, melarsomine therapy often results in an unfavorable outcome because of the severe immune reaction caused by rapid killing of the adult worm. surgical ...	2008	18487942
a case of human pulmonary dirofilariasis.		2008	18547856
the epidemiology of dirofilaria immitis infection in outpatient dogs at chiang mai university small animal hospital, thailand.	five hundred eighty-nine dog blood samples from the small animal hospital of chiang mai university were examined for dirofilaria immitis prevalence using a microhematocrit tube technique for microfilaria detection. in parallel, a once a month follow-up study on 36 d. immitis negative dogs was conducted to detect the time of acquiring infection in each animal. the diagnostic criteria for the incidence study was based on microfilaria detection or on positive findings against d. immitis antigen usi ...	2008	18567441
computed tomography (ct) observation of pulmonary emboli caused by long-term administration of ivermectin in dogs experimentally infected with heartworms.	some studies have reported the adulticidal effect of long-term ivermectin (ivm) administration on adult heartworms in canines; however, there are no detailed reports on the course of the pulmonary artery embolism caused by the bodies of dead heartworms during the administration period. in this study, the pulmonary embolism caused over time by the dead worms was observed using computed tomography (ct). we subcutaneously inoculated 2 beagles with 100 infective third-stage larvae (l3) of dirofilari ...	2008	18602759
vascular endothelial cell activation by adult dirofilaria immitis antigens.	dirofilaria immitis is the causal agent of cardiopulmonary dirofilariosis (heartworm disease). adult worms lodge in the pulmonary arteries and right ventricle, thus vascular endothelium is exposed to high concentrations of dirofilaria antigenic products. heartworm disease habitually develops as a chronic foreseeable pathology. moreover, the simultaneous death of many adult worms, naturally or induced by a filaricide treatment, can cause acute thromboembolisms and endarteritis. to better understa ...	2008	18603468
a survey for infection with dirofilaria immitis, ehrlichia canis, borrelia burgdorferi, and babesia canis in feral and client-owned dogs in the turks and caicos islands, british west indies.	the frequency of infection with dirofilaria immitis and babesia canis and seropositivity to ehrlichia canis and borrelia burgdorferi in feral and client-owned dogs was determined. feral dogs were 14.8 and 11.2 times more likely to be seropositive to d. immitis and e. canis, respectively, than were client-owned dogs. none of the dogs tested positive for b. burgdorferi or b. canis.	2008	18624070
serum cardiac troponin i concentration in dogs with ehrlichiosis.	ehrlichiosis is a multisystemic disease with the potential to cause cardiomyocyte injury in naturally infected dogs.	2008	18638021
gis modeling for canine dirofilariosis risk assessment in central italy.	a survey was conducted in an area of central italy in order to study the prevalence of dirofilaria immitis and d. repens in dogs. blood samples were collected from 283 dogs and examined using a modified knott's technique. in addition, in order to detect d. immitis occult infection, 203 serum samples were also analysed for d. immitis antigen detection. the results were analyzed in order to evaluate the behavioural and attitudinal risk factors. a geographical information system (gis) for the study ...	2008	18686273
canine vector-borne diseases in brazil.	abstract: canine vector-borne diseases (cvbds) are highly prevalent in brazil and represent a challenge to veterinarians and public health workers, since some diseases are of great zoonotic potential. dogs are affected by many protozoa (e.g., babesia vogeli, leishmania infantum, and trypanosoma cruzi), bacteria (e.g., anaplasma platys and ehrlichia canis), and helminths (e.g., dirofilaria immitis and dipylidium caninum) that are transmitted by a diverse range of arthropod vectors, including tick ...	2008	18691408
importance of aedes albopictus in veterinary medicine.	to assess the role of aedes albopictus in transmission of filarial nematodes of veterinary importance, researches were carried out in different geographical areas. in italy a first research was performed to study the susceptibility of ae. albopictus to dirofilaria repens, d. immitis and setaria labiatopapillosa. the development of l3 larvae was longer than in other species of mosquitoes but ae. albopictus could be a suitable vector of filariae. to understand the role of ae. albopictus in the nat ...	2008	18693573
survey of canine dirofilariasis in vojvodina, serbia.	in 2006 and 2007, a total of 193 blood samples were collected from privately owned dogs housed predominantly outdoors, resident in four provinces in vojvodina, serbian republic. circulating microfilariae of dirofilaria repens, dirofilaria immitis and acanthocheilonema reconditum were found in 49.2%, 7.2% and 2.1% of dogs, respectively. two additional occult heartworm infections were revealed with an antigen test of 90 amicrofilaraemic dogs. prevalence values were not influenced by sex and breed, ...	2008	18712415
dirofilaria immitis in cats: anatomy of a disease.	it is now understood that wherever heartworm infection exists in the local canine population, it will also be found in the feline population. however, this does not mean that the parasite and resulting disease behave the same way in both species. for example, heartworms rarely reach the adult stage in cats, but they can cause respiratory sequelae nonetheless.	2008	18825638
dirofilaria immitis in cats: diagnosis and management.	imaging and laboratory studies can help with the diagnosis of heartworm disease in cats, but no test is definitive. furthermore, even when the diagnosis can be reliably established, therapy directed at the heartworms does little to help the cat. rather, management is directed at alleviating clinical signs, with an emphasis on prevention for all.	2008	18825639
ectopic migration of an adult heartworm in a dog with dirofilariasis (case report).	a 3-yr-old female mongrel dog was referred to the veterinary teaching hospital of chungnam national university in the republic of korea. an adult heartworm, dirofilaria immitis, was found in the abdominal cavity of the dog during spaying. dirofilariasis in this dog was also diagnosed by modified knott's test, elisa test, and pcr analysis. the present case is the first report on the migration of an adult dog heartworm to the abdominal cavity of a dog in the republic of korea.	2008	18830057
mosquito-based survey for the detection of flaviviruses and filarial nematodes in aedes albopictus and other anthropophilic mosquitoes collected in northern italy.	in order to optimize resources, an assay allowing the detection of several etiological agents would be useful. this paper describes a polymerase chain reaction (pcr)-based assay for the parallel detection of different pathogens in mosquitoes (diptera: culicidae). the assay combines the analysis of both rna and dna, hence allowing the detection of both flaviviruses (flaviviridae: flavivirus) and filarial nematodes (spirurida: onchocercidae). the sensitivity of diagnostic assay for both flavivirus ...	2008	19123300
periocular dirofilariasis in a young woman: a case report.	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 periocu ...	2008	19127334
dirofilaria immitis and wolbachia-derived antigens: its effect on endothelial mammal cells.	antigens of both dirofilaria immitis and wolbachia symbiont bacteria are implicated in the inflammatory pathology of heartworm infection. the aim of the present study was to compare the stimulatory capacity of in vitro cultures of vascular endothelial cells by the adult somatic antigens of d. immitis (disa) and the recombinant form of the wolbachia surface protein (rwsp), during the first 24h of stimulation. our results indicate a different stimulatory activity of the two antigens. both the disa ...	2008	18922634
acute death in heartworm-infected cats: unraveling the puzzle.	although the acute death syndrome in feline heartworm disease is widely recognized, its pathogenesis remains a mystery. the most widely held hypothesis is that an acute anaphylactic reaction, perhaps precipitated by the death of the parasite, is the underlying cause. this study investigated the role of the physical form of antigen (ag) in the ensuing reaction when dirofilaria immitis-sensitized cats are challenged by intravenous (iv) administration of heartworm ag. healthy d. immitis-naive cats ...	2008	18922636
canine abcb1 and macrocyclic lactones: heartworm prevention and pharmacogenetics.	the impact of drug transporters on drug pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics has been increasingly recognized in recent years. p-glycoprotein (p-gp), the product of the abcb1 (formerly mdr1) gene, is among the most well-characterized drug transporters, particularly in veterinary medicine. p-gp is expressed by a variety of normal tissues, including the intestines, brain capillary endothelial cells, renal tubular cells, and biliary canalicular cells, where it functions to actively extrude substra ...	2008	18922637
feline heartworm (dirofilaria immitis) infection: a statistical elaboration of the duration of the infection and life expectancy in asymptomatic cats.	a study was conducted to assess the duration and the outcome (self-cure or death) of feline heartworm infection and the life expectancy of infected cats. to be included in the study, cats had to be positive for heartworm antibody (ab) and heartworm antigen (ag) and had to demonstrate the presence of worms by echocardiography. self-cure was defined as (1) negative for heartworm ag and (2) no further visualization of worms by echocardiography. of the 1962 eligible cats, 364 (18.5%) were positive f ...	2008	18922638
incidence of positive heartworm antibody and antigen tests at idexx laboratories: trends and potential impact on feline heartworm awareness and prevention.	data from the idexx laboratories reference laboratory network were retrospectively examined for feline heartworm testing trends in testing frequency, geographic bias, and prevalence for the years 2000--2006. examination of the data supports the commonly held view that veterinarians do not embrace heartworm disease testing or prevention in cats to the same degree they do in dogs. despite significant awareness and adoption of heartworm testing and prevention in dogs, we hypothesized that heartworm ...	2008	18922639
echocardiographic quantification of dirofilaria immitis in experimentally infected cats.	the safety of heartworm preventives in heartworm-positive cats has traditionally been evaluated using adult dirofilaria immitis removed from infected dogs and surgically implanted into the cats. an alternate study model uses infective larvae to establish adult infections in cats. unfortunately, the number of adult worms resulting from the latter method varies widely from none to more than 30, both unacceptable for studies of natural heartworm infection and for studies evaluating product safety i ...	2008	18926638
heartworm and wolbachia: therapeutic implications.	a safer, more effective adulticidal treatment and a safe method for reducing microfilaremia and breaking transmission of heartworm disease early in the treatment are needed. the present study evaluated efficacy of ivermectin (ivm) and doxycycline (doxy) alone or together (with or without melarsomine [mel]) in dogs with induced adult heartworm infection and assessed the ability of microfilariae from doxy-treated dogs to develop to l3 in aedes aegypti mosquitoes and subsequently to become reproduc ...	2008	18930598
prevalence of the endosymbiont wolbachia in heartworms (dirofilaria immitis).		2008	18931357
wolbachia and its influence on the pathology and immunology of dirofilaria immitis infection.	since the definitive identification in 1995 of the bacterial endosymbiont wolbachia that resides in different tissues of the filarial worm dirofilaria immitis, there has been increasing interest to understand whether and what role it plays in the pathogenesis of and immune response to heartworm infection. the present study evaluated the effects of treatments on lung pathology in 20 beagle dogs experimentally infected with d. immitis. dogs in group 1 were treated with doxycycline (10 mg/kg/day) o ...	2008	18947926
clinical evolution and radiographic findings of feline heartworm infection in asymptomatic cats.	clinical manifestations of heartworm disease in cats are variable; most cats seem to tolerate the infection well for extended periods. heartworm-infected cats may undergo spontaneous self-cure due to the natural death of parasites without any symptomatology, or they may suddenly show dramatic and acute symptoms. sudden death in apparently healthy cats is not a rare event. thoracic radiographs are important tool for the diagnosis of cardiopulmonary disease. however, thoracic abnormalities are oft ...	2008	18952375
activity of pulmonary intravascular macrophages in cats and dogs with and without adult dirofilaria immitis.	pulmonary intravascular macrophages (pims), large (20-80 microm diameter) monocytes are present in sheep, pigs, and horses, but not in dogs, rats, rabbits, or primates. the present study evaluated the phagocytic activity of various organs in cats and dogs and determined the influence of dirofilaria immitis infections on pim activity. live or dead adult heartworm (hw) was transplanted via jugular venotomy into cats and dogs. cats (four per group) were allocated to five groups: surgical controls-- ...	2008	18977090
use of a nitinol gooseneck snare catheter for removal of adult dirofilaria immitis in two cats.	2 cats were examined because of congestive heart failure secondary to heartworm infection.	2008	18980498
the prevalence of dirofilaria immitis in dogs in kirikkale.	heartworm infection is one of the most important parasitic diseases in dogs. the aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of heartworm in dogs in kirikkale. blood samples of 172 dogs were collected. microfilariae were detected in 10 (5.8%). dogs with the knott technique. the anal and excretory pores stained with acid phosphates showed that the microfilariae belonged to dirofilaria immitis. microfilariae were found in dogs aged between 2-10 years, and especially in siberian huskie ...	2008	18985575
intraarticular dirofilaria immitis microfilariae in two dogs.	dirofilaria immitis microfilariae were found in the synovial fluid of two dogs. one dog had clinical and cytological evidence of polyarthritis at the time of presentation. the second dog presented with severe effusion in a single joint and was later diagnosed with synovial sarcoma of the affected joint. these patients were not protected with heartworm prophylaxis and lived in heartworm endemic areas. though there is documentation of d. immitis microfilaria in the synovial fluid of several clinic ...	2008	18248899
vulpes vulpes: a possible wild reservoir for zoonotic filariae.	foxes (vulpes vulpes, n = 132) killed during the hunting seasons 2005-2006 in central italy (tuscany region) were examined in order to investigate the possible importance of this animal as a wild reservoir for zoonotic filariae. in each specimen adult worms of dirofilaria immitis and hematic microfilariae were searched for. species identification was performed by morphology, morphometry, the barka staining technique applied to pulmonary and splenic blood smears, and, finally, by molecular diagno ...	2008	18260788
an unidentified filarial species and its impact on fitness in wild populations of the black-footed ferret (mustela nigripes).	disease can threaten the restoration of endangered species directly by substantially decreasing host survival or indirectly via incremental decreases in survival and reproduction. during a biomedical survey of reintroduced populations of the highly endangered black-footed ferret from 2002 to 2005, microfilariae discovered in the blood were putatively identified as dirofilaria immitis, and widespread screening was initiated using a commercially available antigen-based elisa test. a subset of anim ...	2008	18263821
ochlerotatus taeniorhynchus: a probable vector of dirofilaria immitis in coastal areas of yucatan, mexico.	mosquito collections were done on microfilaremic dogs, positive for dirofilaria immitis (leidy), for 15 consecutive nights in celestun, yucatan, southeastern mexico, during january 2007. in total, 275 mosquitoes (3 male and 272 female) of five species were collected: ochlerotatus taeniorhynchus (wiedemann), ochlerotatus sollicitans (walker), culex quinquefasciatus say, culex interrogator (dyar & knab), and aedes aegypti (l.). oc. taeniorhynchus was the species most frequently collected, and it h ...	2008	18283960
infectious diseases of dogs and cats on isabela island, galapagos.	vaccination and importation of dogs and cats are prohibited in the galapagos, resulting in a uniquely isolated population. the purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of infectious diseases of dogs and cats that impact their health, could spill over to native wildlife, or sentinel diseases of concern to humans.	2008	18289290
serological and molecular prevalence of borrelia burgdorferi, anaplasma phagocytophilum, and ehrlichia species in dogs from minnesota.	a population of 731 naturally exposed pet dogs examined at a private practice in baxter, minnesota, an area endemic for lyme disease and anaplasmosis, was tested by serological and molecular methods for evidence of exposure to or infection with selected vector-borne pathogens. serum samples were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa) for anaplasma phagocytophilum, borrelia burgdorferi, and ehrlichia canis antibodies and for dirofilaria immitis antigen. blood samples from 273 dogs we ...	2008	18302532
myocardial fluid balance in dogs with naturally acquired heartworm infection.	to determine the effect of naturally acquired heartworm (dirofilaria immitis) infection on myocardial fluid balance as indicated by myocardial water content and the dynamics of transepicardial fluid flow.	2008	18312134
orthologues of the drosophila melanogaster e75 molting control gene in the filarial parasites brugia malayi and dirofilaria immitis.	filarial parasites cause debilitating diseases in humans and domesticated animals. brugia malayi and dirofilaria immitis are transmitted by mosquitoes and infect humans and dogs, respectively. their life cycle is punctuated by a series of cuticular molts as they move between different hosts and tissues. an understanding of the genetic basis for these developmental transitions may suggest potential targets for vaccines or chemotherapeutics. nuclear receptor (nr) proteins have been implicated in m ...	2008	17942167
are antigen test kits efficient for detecting heartworm-infected dogs at the southern distribution limit of the parasite in south america? preliminary results.	the aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of commercial heartworm antigen tests in dogs harbouring dirofilaria immitis microfilariae near its distribution limit in south america. a total of 4934 blood samples of adult dogs from southern greater buenos aires were examined to detect circulating microfilariae in the buffy coat interface between december 2005 and april 2006. microfilariae were detected in 88 (1.8%) blood samples and all the microfilariae observed were identified as d. im ...	2008	17881020
pharmacological evaluation of contractile activity of the dog heartworm dirofilaria immitis.	effects of a variety of compounds on spontaneous contractile activity of whole, intact, adult canine heartworms (hw), which had been maintained in culture, were evaluated to improve understanding of the pharmacological sensitivities of this parasitic nematode. acetylcholine, pilocarpine, imidazole, levamisole, and dl-tetramisole caused spastic paralysis. gamma-aminobutyrate (gaba), the gaba-mimetic muscimol, the gaba amino transferase inhibitor 3-mercaptopropionic acid, fenthion, ketamine, levod ...	2008	17899422
molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of dirofilaria immitis of china based on coi and 12s rdna genes.	in this paper, mtdna gene cytochrome coxidase subunit i (coi) and small subunit ribosomal rna (12s rdna) were used to examine the phylogenetic position of dirofilaria immitis from dogs and red pandas in the evolutionary tree of filarial. different approaches, including minimal evolution (me) and maximum parsimony (mp) from distance matrix and character state, were used to evaluate the evolutional relation between dirofilaria spp. and other species included in the family onchocercidae. intra-spec ...	2009	19046806
prevalence and geographic distribution of dirofilaria immitis, borrelia burgdorferi, ehrlichia canis, and anaplasma phagocytophilum in dogs in the united states: results of a national clinic-based serologic survey.	we evaluated a comprehensive national database that documents canine infection with, or exposure to, four vector-borne disease agents, dirofilaria immitis, borrelia burgdorferi, ehrlichia canis, and anaplasma phagocytophilum in order to assess geographic trends in rates of positive tests. while the percent positive test results varied by agent in different regions of the united states, with d. immitis antigen and antibodies to e. canis more commonly identified in dogs from the south (3.9% and 1. ...	2009	19150176
prevalence of dirofilaria immitis in dogs from hatay province, turkey.	the present study was conducted to determine the prevalence of canine dirofilariosis in hatay province, south of turkey. a total of 269 blood samples were collected from owned dogs in this multi-centre survey between march and july 2006. blood samples were examined by modified knott and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa) techniques to detect circulating microfilariae and antigens of dirofilaria immitis, respectively. seventy out of 269 dogs (26.0%) were positive for d. immitis. however, 6 ...	2009	19173764
rapid detection of wuchereria bancrofti and brugia malayi in mosquito vectors (diptera: culicidae) using a real-time fluorescence resonance energy transfer multiplex pcr and melting curve analysis.	we developed a single-step real-time fluorescence resonance energy transfer (fret) multiplex polymerase chain reaction (pcr) merged with melting curve analysis for the detection of wuchereria bancrofti and brugia malayi dna in blood-fed mosquitoes. real-time fret multiplex pcr is based on fluorescence melting curve analysis of a hybrid of amplicons generated from two families of repeated dna elements: the 188 bp sspi repeated sequence, specific to w. bancrofti, and the 153-bp hhai repeated seque ...	2009	19198529
intraspecies variation of brugia spp. in cat reservoirs using complete its sequences.	the internal transcribed spacer (its) region was used to study the intraspecies variation of brugia spp. in cat reservoirs. blood specimens from seven naturally infected cats were collected from two different geographical brugian-endemic areas in thailand. the dnapar tree of these brugia spp. was constructed using a maximum likelihood approach based on its nucleotide sequences and was compared to those of brugia malayi, brugia pahangi, and dirofilaria immitis that were previously reported in gen ...	2009	19205740
dirofilarial human cases in the old world, attributed to dirofilaria immitis: a critical analysis.	to review 28 cases of human dirofilariasis reported in the last 30 years in the old world and attributed, by their respective authors, to dirofilaria immitis or a species of dirofilaria other than d. repens.	2009	19207944
climate and dirofilaria infection in europe.	climatic changes, together with an increase in the movement of cats and dogs across europe, have caused an increase in the geographical range of several vector borne parasites like dirofilaria, and in the risk of infection for animals and humans. the present paper reviews the effects of climate and other global drivers on dirofilaria immitis and dirofilaria repens infections in europe and the possible implications on the transmission and control of these mosquito-borne nematodes. in the last sev ...	2009	19398159
xenomonitoring of wuchereria bancrofti and dirofilaria immitis infections in mosquitoes from american samoa: trapping considerations and a comparison of polymerase chain reaction assays with dissection.	entomologic monitoring of filarial infections, xenomonitoring, may have advantages in certain epidemiologic situations to assess the presence of infections in humans. hemalum staining and dissection and polymerase chain reaction (pcr) were compared to determine the filarial infection status of aedes (stegomyia) mosquitoes in american samoa. the overall prevalences of wuchereria bancrofti and dirofilaria immitis infections in ae. polynesiensis were, respectively, 0.16% and 1.06% by dissection and ...	2009	19407123
changing distribution patterns of canine vector borne diseases in italy: leishmaniosis vs. dirofilariosis.	abstract : ecological and climatic changes, human and animal population dynamics are among the several factors that have favoured the spread or the (re)introduction and establishment of "novel" vector species and pathogens they transmit in previously disease-free geographical areas. as key examples of the changing pattern of distribution of canine vector borne diseases (cvbds), the current distribution of canine leishmaniosis (canl) by leishmania infantum and dirofilariosis by dirofilaria immiti ...	2009	19426441
improved efficacy of tetracycline by acaciasides on dirofilaria immitis.	the discovery of wolbachia, a bacterial endosymbiont that occurs in the filarial parasite and its sensitivity to tetracycline, has fostered a new initiative in the development of suitable antifilarial drugs. the present study is an attempt to investigate whether adding acaciasides (saponins from acacia auriculiformis) to the standard dose of tetracycline would further improve the efficacy of tetracycline treatment against dirofilaria immitis microfilariae in vivo. treatment of microfilaremic adu ...	2009	19430817