[Canine heartworm on São Luís Island, Northeastern Brazil: a potential zoonosis].
A survey on the prevalence of canine heartworm was conducted in 1, 495 dogs from Maranhão Island, State of Maranhão, Northeastern Brazil, from 1991 to 1994, by testing for microfilariae in blood. Of the total, 1,358 (12.8% of which were infected) were dogs with no known history; they included 1,265 homeless animals (10.3% with microfilariae) and 93 kept by owners at the time the survey was conducted (37.8% of which were infected). Prevalence is high among dogs captured and/or living along the seashore. Examples of such high coastal prevalence rates were found in Olho d'Agua and Calhau (46% and 43%, respectively). The search for microfilariae in blood samples of 137 exclusively domiciliary dogs with a known history showed that 43% of these animals were infected, confirming transmission of heartworm on the island. This was the first survey formally published on canine dirofilariasis in Northeastern Brazil. Since D. immitis is infective to man and prevalence of the parasite is high, particularly along the coast of Maranhão Island, human cases of dirofilariasis may be expected. Local physicians should consider this parasite among the possible causes of solitary lesions in humans living in this area.
Departamento de Patologia, Escola de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade do Estado do Maranhão, Campus Paulo VI, Tirirical, São Luís, MA., 65000-000 Brasil.
S M
SM
Ahid
R
R
Lourenço-de-Oliveira
L Q
LQ
Saraiva
D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D004183:Dirofilaria immitis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004184:Dirofilariasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence
Dirofilariose canina na Ilha de São Luís, Nordeste do Brasil: uma zoonose potencial.