• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.545-550
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• 2002

The raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) may be infected by Dirofilaria immitis. However, there has been no report on dirofilarial infection in the raccoon dog in Korea. In this study, we report on D. immitis infection in two wild raccoon dogs captured in the Daejeon area. The two raccoon dogs were referred to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Chungnam National University for diagnosis of D. immitis infection. The modified Knott's test for the detection of blood D. immitis microfilariae was positive, and serological test (FASTest$^{(R)}$ HW Antigen ELISA kit, Diagnostik Mega Cor, Austria) for D. immitis was positive as well. Additionally, D. immitis microfilariae were differentiated from other microfilariae by using acid phrnphatase histochemical staining (Leucognost-SP$^{(R)}$kit, Diagncstica MERCK, Germany). The two raccoon dogs were necropsed and D. immitis infection was confirmed.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.177-181
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• 1999

This study was undertaken to clarify the more accurate detecting method of Dirofilaria immitis. Seven dogs, average 7.47 years old, confirmed with Dirofilaria immitis infection by modified Knott's method were used as the experimental animals. cDNA was constructed using oligodT(15) primer after extracting total RNA from the blood of dogs that were confirmed with Dirofilaria immitis infection. As a result of polymerase chain reaction with template using constructed cDNA, the predicted products of a 378 base-pair DNA fragment was amplified. From these results, RT-PCR was more sensitive and effective than modified Knott's method to detect Dirofilaria immitis in dogs.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.179-183
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• 2018

A survey on the seroprevalence of Dirofilaria immitis infection among 2,197 Jindo dogs (371 males, 1,826 females) was conducted from 2011 to 2015 using an antigen test (SNAP 4Dx plus, IDEXX, USA). The overall seroprevalence of D. immitis infection in Jindo dogs was 21.8% (479/2,197), and an increase was observed in the seroprevalence of infection from 19.4% in 2011 to 25.8% in 2015. The infection rates were higher among male dogs (32.1%, 119/371) than female dogs (19.7%, 360/1,826)(P<0.01). The infection rates of D. immitis in Jindo dogs at the age of under 1 years-old, 1 to 2 years-old, 2 to 3 years-old and over 3 years old were 10.7% (76/710), 20.0% (190/950), 36.4% (156/428) and 52.3% (57/109), respectively. The older dogs had higher infection rates than the younger dogs (P<0.01). This study indicates that the prevalence rate of D. immitis in Jindo dogs is higher than previously reported in studies which utilized an antigen test.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.385-389
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• 2009

This study was attempted to survey on the prevalence of canine heartworm infection (Dirofilaria immitis) in the Incheon area in 2006. This study showed comparative infection rates of canine heartworm in conjunction with different geographic locations and rearing environments (i.e., indoor, outdoor or free roaming). In total, 24 dogs (6.0%) were D. immitis positive among a total of 400 tested dogs. The geographic distribution of detection rates was Nam-gu (2 dogs, 6.7%), Yeonsu-gu (1 dog, 3.0%), Namdonggu (5 dogs, 8.0%), Pupyoung-gu (4 dogs, 6.7%), Kanghwa-gun (8 dogs, 13.0%), and Onjin-gun (4 dogs, 11.1%). In addition, 4 dogs (2.0%) or 20 dogs (10.0%) were positive for D. immitis among 202 indoor dogs or 198 outdoor dogs including free roaming dogs, respectively, while 13 dogs (11.7%) were positive for D. immitis among 111 outdoor dogs excluding free roaming dogs. In the case of 87 free roaming dogs, 7 dogs (8.1%) among them were positive for D. immitis.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.327-332
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• 2013

A survey of canine heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) infection among 102 Jindo dogs was performed from September to October 1995, using a microfilarial test (modified Knott's test) and an antigen test (DiroCHEK, Synbiotics, USA). The infection rate of 102 Jindo dogs was 1.9% (2/102) by the modified Knott's test, but was 4.9% (5/102) by the antigen test. This result revealed that the antigen test is more accurate than the microfilarial test. Also, 222 Jindo dogs (Male 61, Female 161) were examined for Dirofilaria immitis infection from 1995 to 1997 using an antigen test (DiroCHEK, Synbiotics, USA). Twelve (5.4%) Jindo dogs were positive for Dirofilaria immitis antigen. The infection rates were higher than in male (6.6%, 4/61) than female dogs (5.0%, 8/161). The infection rates of heartworm in Jindo dogs at the age of under 1 year, 1~2 years and over 2 years old were 0.0% (0/39), 4.3% (5/115) and 10.3% (7/68), respectively. The older age had higher infection rates than the younger age (P=0.018). The infection rates of canine heartworm was reported to be the highest (17.6%, P=0.028) in Jodo-myeon, 10.6% in Uisin-myeon and 5.3% in limhoe-myun. But dogs with antigenemia weren't detected in Gogun-myeon. and Jisan-myeon. This study indicates that the prevalence of canine heartworm in Jindo-gun is lower than previously reported (3.1% and 12.3%) which utilized microfilarial tests.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.197-202
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• 2014

Dirofilaria immitis infection is one of the most important parasitic diseases in dogs and public health. It often elicits nodules in the pulmonary parenchyma and in the subcutaneous tissues of human. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of D. immitis infection among 754 dogs in Seoul area from April to December 2012. The infection rate of 754 dogs was 9.8% (74/754) by the antigen test (canine SNAP 4Dx). The infection rates of D. immitis in dogs at the age of < 2, 2~4, 5~7, 8~10, and > 10 years were 3.7% (7/189), 12.9% (30/233), 15.0% (19/127), 9.8% (18/184), and 0% (0/21), respectively. The infection rates in the female and male dogs were 9.7% (33/340) and 9.9% (41/414), respectively. The regional infection rates in northern and southern Han river region of Seoul were 10.7% (44/410) and 8.7% (30/344), respectively. In order to confirm D. immitis infection, we performed PCR on serum samples of 74 dogs which tested positive for D. immitis antigen by the antigen test and we detected a specific gene ITS-2 in 59 serum samples. In conclusion, this study suggests that treatment and preventive care on the D. immitis infection should be considered in dogs of Seoul area.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.691-694
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to conduct a survey of Dirofilaria immitis infection among stray cats in Korea using nested PCR. We included 235 stray cats (121 females and 114 males) and evaluated each for the presence of feline heartworm infection. Blood samples were collected from 135 cats in Daejeon, 50 cats in Seoul, and 50 cats from Gyeonggi-do (Province). Of the 235 DNA samples, 14 (6.0%) were positive for D. immitis. The prevalence of infection in male cats (8/114, 7.0%) tended to be higher than that in female cats (6/121, 5.0%), but the difference was not statistically significant. In each location, 8, 2, and 4 cats were positive for infection, respectively, based on DNA testing. No significant differences in the prevalence were observed among the geographic regions, although the rate of infection was higher in Gyeonggi-do (8.0%) than Daejeon (5.9%) and Seoul (4.0%). We submitted 7 of the 14 D. immitis DNA-positive samples for sequencing analysis. All samples corresponded to partial D. immitis cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene sequences with 99% homology to the D. immitis sequence deposited in GenBank (accession no. FN391553). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first survey using nested PCR to analyze the prevalence of D. immitis in stray cats in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2020

Unlike previous studies that reported the infection rates of Dirofilaria immitis in companion dogs, D. immitis genes were tested directly on mosquitoes to see how many mosquitoes actually carry larvae. Mosquito samples were collected from six parks in Incheon from March to August 2018. A total of 18,589 mosquitoes was collected, classified by type and then made 575 sample pools based on 50 mosquitoes. The PCR method was used to detect Dirofilaria immitis genes of sample pools. Dirofilaria immitis genes were detected in 7 of the 575 pools, and these positive mosquito samples were collected in 4 out of the 6 parks. The types of detected mosquitoes were Aedes dorsalis and Ochlerotatus koreanus which have been identified to act as a vector for heart worm propagation in Incheon. Based on these results, it was concluded that D. immitis genes were found in mosquitoes in the neighborhood park.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.375-377
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• 2013

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

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.43 no.2 s.134
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• pp.65-67
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• 2005

The intestines and hearts of dogs were examined for Toxocara canis, Toxascaris leonina, and Dirofilaria immitis, after necropsy between June 26 and September 29, 2004 in Chuncheon, Korea. Of the 662 dogs examined, 6 were infected with T. canis $(0.9\%),\;86\;with\;T.\;leonina\;(13.0\%)$. Fifty dogs were infected with D. immitis among 500 dogs examined $(10.0\%)$. Five were co-infected with T. canis and T. leonina, and three were co-infected with T. leonina and D. immitis. The cumulative positive infection rate for three species was $134/662(20.2\%)$. Considering previously reported seropositive rates of T. canis excretory-secretory antigen, i.e., $5\%$ in the adult population in Korea, the possibility of toxocariasis caused by T. leonina should be reevaluated.