Elsevier

Veterinary Parasitology

Volume 114, Issue 3, 11 June 2003, Pages 231-236
Veterinary Parasitology

Short communication
Seroprevalence of canine dirofilariosis in South Korea

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-4017(03)00137-7Get rights and content

Abstract

Eight-hundred and forty eight dogs (480 females and 368 males) not on chemoprophylaxis were examined for Dirofilaria immitis infection from 2001 to 2002. Three-hundred and thirty nine (40.0%) of 848 samples tested with antigen detecting ELISA kits showed positive reaction for D. immitis antigen. More male (43.5%) than female (37.3%) dogs were affected in this study, although there was no significant difference between both groups. X2 analysis showed that female and male dogs of shoreline areas had higher significant prevalence than other areas (P<0.001), respectively. The mean overall positive rates of heartworm infection were 10.4% in dogs <2-year-old group, 46.5% in 2–4-year-old group, 48.4% in 4–6-year-old group and 50.3% in >6-year-old group. The older the age, the higher the prevalence of D. immitis infection in this study. X2 analysis revealed a significant higher prevalence in 4–6-year-old group (100%) of shoreline areas and in 2–4-old-year group (51.2%) of urban areas (Chungnam province), respectively (P<0.001), and also revealed that the over 6-year-old group (50.3%) in mean overall prevalence had the significant higher prevalence than other age group (P<0.001). In climate comparison, our data showed that shoreline areas (69.5%) had the significant higher prevalence than urban areas and mountain areas (P<0.001). This survey confirms that the prevalence of canine heartworm infection increases, and also that the prevalence in shoreline areas is higher than in other areas in South Korea.

Introduction

Dirofilariosis is a disease of world-wide distribution, but the most endemic areas are those with temperate, tropical and subtropical countries (Kume, 1970). In recent years, many epidemiological surveys of this disease have been performed in many countries (Hatsushika et al., 1992 in Japan; Matola, 1991 in Tanzania; Montoya et al., 1998 in Canary Islands of Spain; Rosa et al., 2002 in Argentina). South Korea is one of the enzootic regions of Dirofilaria immitis, and the prevalence of heartworm infection in dogs appears to have increased in recent years. This is due to lack of administration of the preventive medication (Lee, 1993) and education for owners since heartworm disease is relative new problem in veterinary clinics of South Korea. This study was performed to investigate the prevalence of canine dirofilariosis and also to compare the prevalence of this disease in four areas with different environmental conditions such as shoreline areas, two urban areas and mountain areas in South Korea.

Section snippets

Sampling and detection of D. immitis antigen

The study was carried out in four different areas (one shoreline area, two urban areas and one mountain area) in South Korea (Fig. 1). Environmental conditions of these areas, such as altitude, climate, temperature, relative humidity in the summer season was summarized in Table 1.

Eight-hundred and forty eight dogs (480 females and 368 males) were examined for D. immitis infection from 2001 to 2002. A blood sample was collected from the dogs brought to the private veterinary clinics for routine

Results and discussion

In South Korea, Pak and Lee (1962) first reported that microfilaremic rate of canine heartworm was 21% in the Chinju area. Lee et al. (1996) reported that the mean positive rate of canine heartworm was 28.3% in the two rural areas (Hoengsung-gun and Chungwon-gun) and the three urban areas (Yechon city, Gimhae city and Gwangju city) using antigen-detecting ELISA kit. Three-hundred and thirty nine (40.0%) of 848 samples tested with antigen detecting ELISA kits showed positive reaction for D.

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Korea Research Foundation Grant (KRF-2001-041-G00091).

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