title: Occurrence of (Dirofilaria immitis) in gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) in Alabama and Georgia.
abstract: The occurrence of Dirofilaria immitis in gray fox (Urocyon cineroargenteus) was determined by gross examination, blood samples, and filtered tissue sediments in a sampling of 149 gray foxes taken from Alabama and Georgia during the 1977-78 trapping season. Microfilariae were not found in blood samples obtained from 24 of these gray foxes. Three of 82 male foxes (3.7%) and 1 of 67 female foxes (1.5%) were infected with heartworm. D. immitis rate of infection was 1 of 19 (5.3%) and 3 of 130 (2.3%), respectively, in juvenile and adult gray foxes. Single sex infections with D. immitis occurred in 4 of the 6 foxes, with a maximum nematode burden of approximately eight. Two other infected foxes were encountered separate from this study.
mesh_terms: D000407:Alabama; D000818:Animals; D004184:Dirofilariasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D005589:Foxes / Q000469:parasitology*; D005845:Georgia; D006321:Heart / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male