title: Prevalence of Dirofilaria immitis infection in dogs from Celestun, Mexico, using polymerase chain reaction test.
abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Dirofilaria immitis in dogs and to analyze risk factors associated with infection at Celestun, a coastal locality in southeast Mexico. Blood samples were collected from 279 asymptomatic individuals between August 2007 and March 2008 and analyzed by polymerase chain reaction technique. The association between D. immitis infection and sex, age group, and distance of residence from a wetland of dogs was statistically analyzed. Prevalence of D. immitis infection was of 59.8%. Age of individuals (>2 years) was a risk factor for infection with D. immitis (odds ratio 2.49, confidence interval 1.47-4.23, p=0.001). In conclusion, Celestun can be considered a focus of D. immitis infection with high levels of transmission among the local dog population, as confirmed by the high prevalence reported and the association of age (dogs >2 years) as a risk associated with infection.
authors.affiliation: Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, México.
authors.forename: Johny Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Caro-Gonzalez
authors.forename: Manuel Emilio
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Bolio-Gonzalez
authors.forename: Francisco Javier
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Escobedo-Ortegón
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Manrique-Saide
authors.forename: Roger Ivan
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Vivas
authors.forename: Jorge Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Buenfil
authors.forename: Carlos Humberto
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Sauri-Arceo
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000235:genetics; D004183:Dirofilaria immitis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D004184:Dirofilariasis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D053833:Wetlands
chemical_list: D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer