An endemic area of Dirofilaria immitis seropositive dogs at the eastern foothills of Mt Olympus, Northern Greece

Following an examination conducted on a population of three hundred and forty-one dogs living on the eastern foothills of Mt Olympus in Northern Greece, 17.9 % were found to be seropositive for the Dirofilaria immitis specific antigen. These results indicate that the region is an endemic area for the above-mentioned parasitosis in dogs. Serum samples were examined using the PetChek kit Snap (IDDEX Laboratories, ELISA, Portland USA) according to the manufacturer's instructions. With respect to gender, age and type of coat, the statistical analysis has shown that the prevalence of seropositive results is significantly higher (P < 0.05) among male dogs, older dogs and short-haired dogs. As regards breed and size, the same study has recorded a higher prevalence in mixed breed and small-sized dogs.