title: Epidemiological survey of anti-flea IgE in dogs in Japan by using an antigen-specific IgE quantitative measurement method.
abstract: In Japan, an epidemiological survey was performed in dogs from October to December 2008 by using a quantitative measurement method for antigen-specific IgE towards specific Ctenocephalides felis antigens. 214 dogs from 22 veterinary clinics were included. These clinics were located as follows, from North to South: Hokkaido, Aomori, Fukushima, Tochigi, Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo (Tama-City and Ota-ku), Kanagawa, Gifu, Niigata, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Hyogo, Kagawa, Ehime, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, Fukuoka, Kumamoto and Kagoshima. 110 dogs (51.4%) were seropositive for flea-specific IgE. No differences were associated with gender or breed. This survey confirms that flea infestation in dogs is a common problem in Japan. It especially shows that the infestation also occurs in Northern Japan where fleas are considered uncommon by the vet.
authors.affiliation: Merial Japan Limited, 2-14-2 Nagata-cho, Tokyo 100-0014, Japan. yasuaki.ichikawa@merial.com
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ichikawa
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Beugnet
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D058251:Ctenocephalides / Q000276:immunology*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D000939:Epitopes; D005260:Female; D058267:Flea Infestations / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D007073:Immunoglobulin E