title: Canine filarial infections in a human Brugia malayi endemic area of India.
abstract: A very high prevalence of microfilaremia of 42.68 per cent out of 164 canine blood samples examined was observed in Cherthala (of Alappuzha district of Kerala state), a known human Brugia malayi endemic area of south India. The species of canine microfilariae were identified as Dirofilaria repens, Brugia malayi, and Acanthocheilonema reconditum. D. repens was the most commonly detected species followed by B. pahangi. D. immitis was not detected in any of the samples examined. Based on molecular techniques, microfilariae with histochemical staining pattern of "local staining at anal pore and diffuse staining at central body" was identified as D. repens in addition to those showing acid phosphatase activity only at the anal pore. Even though B. malayi like acid phosphatase activity was observed in few dogs examined, they were identified as genetically closer to B. pahangi. Hence, the possibility of dogs acting as reservoirs of human B. malayi in this area was ruled out.
authors: Department of Veterinary Parasitology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode, Wayanad, Kerala 673576, India.
authors: Reghu
authors: R
authors: Ravindran
authors: Department of Veterinary Parasitology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode, Wayanad, Kerala 673576, India.
authors: Sincy
authors: S
authors: Varghese
authors: Department of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode, Wayanad, Kerala 673 576, India.
authors: Suresh N
authors: SN
authors: Nair
authors: Department of Animal Husbandry, Kerala 695 033, India.
authors: Vimalkumar M
authors: VM
authors: Balan
authors: Department of Veterinary Parasitology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode, Wayanad, Kerala 673576, India.
authors: Bindu
authors: B
authors: Lakshmanan
authors: Department of Animal Husbandry, Kerala 695 033, India.
authors: Riyas M
authors: RM
authors: Ashruf
authors: Department of Veterinary Parasitology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode, Wayanad, Kerala 673576, India.
authors: Swaroop S
authors: SS
authors: Kumar
authors: Department of Veterinary Parasitology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode, Wayanad, Kerala 673576, India.
authors: Ajith Kumar K
authors: AK
authors: Gopalan
authors: Department of Animal Husbandry, Kerala 695 033, India.
authors: Archana S
authors: AS
authors: Nair
authors: Department of Veterinary Parasitology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode, Wayanad, Kerala 673576, India.
authors: Aparna
authors: A
authors: Malayil
authors: Department of Veterinary Anatomy, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode, Wayanad, Kerala 673 576, India.
authors: Leena
authors: L
authors: Chandrasekhar
authors: Department of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode, Wayanad, Kerala 673 576, India.
authors: Sanis
authors: S
authors: Juliet
authors: Department of Veterinary Parasitology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode, Wayanad, Kerala 673576, India.
authors: Devada
authors: D
authors: Kopparambil
authors: National Centre for Diseases Control, Kerala 673 003, India.
authors: Rajendran
authors: R
authors: Ramachandran
authors: National Centre for Diseases Control, Kerala 673 003, India.
authors: Regu
authors: R
authors: Kunjupillai
authors: National Centre for Diseases Control, Kerala 673 003, India.
authors: Showkath Ali M
authors: SA
authors: Kakada
mesh_terms: D000135:Acid Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001947:Breeding; D017178:Brugia malayi / Q000502:physiology*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D004285:Dogs; D019353:Endemic Diseases / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D005368:Filariasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000662:veterinary*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008842:Microfilariae / Q000166:cytology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D000135:Acid Phosphatase