title: The development of pulmonary lesions associated with dead adult D. immitis in naive dogs.
abstract: The sequential response of the lung to the death of adult D. immitis has not been reported. To determine the time sequence and severity of pulmonary lesions following the death of D. immitis, light microscopy was used to follow 36 dogs, detailing the respective lesions 1-35 days after insertion of dead D. immitis or of control polyvinyl chloride threads. Results showed that dogs exposed to dead filariae developed more severe pulmonary arterial disease than did those exposed to inert threads. Severe pulmonary lesions occurred at 5-9 days post insertion with the right caudal lobes being the most affected, both macro and microscopically. These findings suggest that this was a suitable model for the study of this parasite-host interaction and that 5-9 days following insertion of dead D. immitis was the most intensive period of host reactivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Companion Animal Medicine and Surgery, Veterinary School, University of Queensland.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Tarish
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Atwell
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004183:Dirofilaria immitis / Q000502:physiology*; D004184:Dirofilariasis / Q000473:pathology*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008168:Lung / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male