title: Seroprevalence of canine heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) infection in Albania.
abstract: Blood samples from 260 dogs over 1 year of age from eight districts of the western part of Albania (20 to 50 dogs per district) were collected in 1995 and 1996 and tested for circulating Dirofilaria immitis antigen using the PetChek HTWM PF (IDEXX) ELISA test kit. Overall seroprevalence of D. immitis infection among these dogs was 13.5% (95% confidence interval = 9.3-17.6%), ranging from 5% to 30% between the districts of origin of the dogs. There was no difference for the seroprevalence of heartworm infection between the sexes and age classes or between pure and mixed breed dogs; however, D. immitis seroprevalence was significantly (p < 0.0001) higher in dogs presenting cardiopulmonary signs (83.3%) compared to clinically inconspicuous dogs (10.1%).
authors.affiliation: Fakulteti i Mjeksise Veterinare, Universiteti Bujqësor, Kodër Kamëz, Tirana, Albania.
authors.forename: Dhimiter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rapti
authors.forename: Steffen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rehbein
mesh_terms: D000415:Albania / Q000453:epidemiology; D000818:Animals; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000097:blood*; D004183:Dirofilaria immitis / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004184:Dirofilariasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D004285:Dogs; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D000947:Antigens, Helminth