High prevalence of canine heartworm, Dirofilaria immitis, in pet dogs in south Texas, USA, with evidence of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes contributing to transmission.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The canine heartworm Dirofilaria immitis, a filarioid nematode of dogs and other carnivores, is widespread in the USA and the world. Over 20 different mosquito species serve as intermediate hosts of D. immitis, but their contribution to transmission varies according to factors like host feeding patterns, geographic locations and climatic conditions. The yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, is a competent vector of D. immitis but is often dismissed as a vector of veterinary relevance given its anthropophilic feeding behavior. We evaluated the prevalence of D. immitis in pet dogs along the USA-Mexico border and assessed whether Ae. aegypti in the area are naturally infected with heartworm and are potentially acting as a vector.

Methods

A total of 200 whole blood sa

SUBMITTER: Scavo NA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9635171 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature