Re-migration of fifth-stage juvenile Dirofilaria immitis into pulmonary arteries after subcutaneous transplantation in dogs, cats, and rabbits.
An assessment was made of the capacity for re-migration of the 5th-stage juvenile canine heartworm, Dirofilaria immitis. Live, 5th-stage juvenile worms recovered from the pulmonary arteries of infected dogs were transplanted into the subcutaneous tissue of uninfected dogs, cats, and rabbits. A mean of 45%, 61%, and 18% of the transplanted worms were recovered from the pulmonary arteries of dogs, cats, and rabbits, respectively, 1 and 3 mo later. The 5th-stage juvenile worms thus have the ability to re-migrate through tissue into the pulmonary arteries of the host.
Hayasaki
M
M
Department of Internal Medicine and Parasitology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Japan.
D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D004183:Dirofilaria immitis / Q000502:physiology*; D004184:Dirofilariasis / Q000469:parasitology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D008297:Male; D009068:Movement; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000469:parasitology*; D011817:Rabbits; D012867:Skin / Q000469:parasitology*