Prevalence of canine Dirofilaria immitis infection in the city of Algiers, Algeria

Abstract

Heartworm disease is caused by Dirofilaria immitis a zoonotic, vector-borne parasite and one of the most pathogenic 
nematode parasites of the dog. The epidemiological status of this parasitosis in Algeria stays to this day unknown 
even though this country has the ideal biotope to the development of this disease. The aim of this study was to 
investigate the prevalence of D. immitis infection in dogs from Algiers, in the north of Algeria. Blood samples were 
collected from 184 dogs from November 2006 to September 2007 and were examined by the modified Knott method to 
detect circulating microfilaria. A total of 34 subjects were microfilaria positive, giving a prevalence value of 18.48%. All 
the samples were further tested by antigen-ELISA in order to detect dogs with prepatent or occult heartworm 
infections. The prevalence rose to 24.46% (with 45 seropositives dogs). More male (14.13%) than female (10.33%) dogs 
were affected in this study, although there was no significant difference between both groups. With regard to general 
health status, our data showed a high prevalence of 18.48% of asymptomatic carriers of the parasite D. immitis, only 
5.98% of the positive samples were from unhealthy dogs. The difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05). This 
first report on the status of D. Immitis infection in domestic dogs in Algiers, suggests that heartworm treatment and 
adequate prophylaxis should be undertaken to control D. Immitis infection in the canine population of Algiers city in 
Algeria.