title: Prevalence of dirofilarial infection in raccoon dogs in Japan.
abstract: The raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides viverrinus) is known to acquire canine heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) infection. We surveyed the prevalence of heartworm infection in free-ranging raccoon dogs in the Nishi-Tama (Tokyo) and Kanagawa areas of Japan. A total of 75 raccoon dog carcasses, including 29 animals from the Nishi-Tama area and 46 from the Kanagawa area, were necropsied between 1992 and 1993. Eight out of 75 raccoon dogs were found to be infected (overall 10.7%). The prevalence of infection was 6 and 16% in Nishi-Tama and Kanagawa, respectively. Microfilarial production was observed in the uterus of one female adult dog.
authors: Laboratory for Wildlife Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nippon Jui-Chikusan University, Musashino, Tokyo, Japan. kazu_nakagaki@hotmail.com
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Nakagaki
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Suzuki
authors: S I
authors: SI
authors: Hayama
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Kanda
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002335:Carnivora / Q000469:parasitology*; D004183:Dirofilaria immitis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004184:Dirofilariasis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence