Coastal lowlands in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, support high numbers of heartworm-infected dogs. Microfilariae of heartworm need to be ingested by a potencial mosquito vector in order to develop into infective larvae and infect a new host. Ochlerotatus taeniorhynchus and Ochlerotatus scapularis are the primary vector species in the coastal lowlands of metropolitan Rio de Janeiro; thus, the aim of this study was to investigate whether these two species were abundant enough at the heartworm hotspot in the eastern area of the state to be important to the local parasite's life cycle.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Dirofilaria immitis, the causative agent of canine heartworm infection, is worldwide the most important filarid to affect domestic dogs. Prevention of this infection is done by macrocyclic lactones, but some reports on the lack of efficacy have been published. Although the actual cause of resistance is unknown, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on a P-glycoprotein ABC transporter and β-tubulin genes have been pointed out as candidates for genetic markers of resistance.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArthropod-borne infections are dependent on environmental conditions, and several combinations of natural and human-related variables play an important role in vector populations as well as the life cycle of agents carried by the arthropods. The top 5 canine arthropod-transmitted agents, Dirofilaria immitis, Leishmania spp., Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Borrelia burgdorferi infect unprotected animals without propensity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Dog owners and veterinarians in small animal practices began to waive prevention of canine heartworm disease after heartworm infections seemed to have disappeared in Brazil. After 2013, infection rates rebounded, and an evaluation of the efficacy of chemoprophylactic drugs became necessary. Included in this re-evaluation was the efficacy of selamectin in client-owned dogs residing in a high infection-risk area.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The frequency of canine heartworm infection in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil was high before chemoprophylactic treatment was available, with one of the highest rates of infection (52.5 %) found among dogs living on the eastern shore of the state. Following the launch of a chemoprophylactic product, the rate of infection gradually decreased, and new infections were rarely reported.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Canine heartworm infections were frequently diagnosed in Brazil before the new millennium. After the year 2000, the frequency of diagnosis showed a sharp decline; however, a few years later, new evidence indicated that the parasite was still present and that canine infection rates seemed to be increasing. Therefore, an updated survey of canine heartworm prevalence was conducted in several locations in south, southeast, and northeast Brazil.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEctoparasites are capable of transmitting infectious diseases and, therefore, are of zoonotic concern. Cats submitted to a spay/neuter program in the city of Rio de Janeiro were examined to determine the distribution of ectoparasites in cats from a city with a tropical climate. Independent of gender, breed, or age, 292 cats were combed and subjected to otoscopic examination.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF