The seroprevalence of canine dirofilariosis in dogs in the eastern coastal areas of China

Background and objectives: The present study was carried out to assess the presence of canine Dirofilaria immitis infection in pet dogs in China.Materials and methods: From October 2018 to November 2019, a total of 216 sera were collected from pet hospitals in Shandong, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Zhejiang, and Fujian regions of Eastern China. The sera were tested by using a commercial canine heartworm antibody ELISA test kit.Results: 70.8% of the pets had significant clinical symptoms resembled to heartworm infection; the overall dirofilariosis positivity found was 12.5% (27/216); Significant positive rates differences were observed between symptomatic and asymptomatic dogs (P < 0.05) (i.e. 15.7% and 4.7% respectively). The prevalence of infection in Shandong Province (15.5%) was the highest among the surveyed areas, but the difference among the geographic regions was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Furthermore, the prevalence detected in summer (28.2%) was significantly higher than in other seasons (P < 0.05). In addition, no significant difference was observed between male and female sex (P > 0.05).Conclusions: Altogether, these results suggest that an epidemic of dirofilariosis exists in eastern coastal China, as such preventive measures should be taken to control the spread of dirofilariosis to reduce the risk of human and pet infection with heartworm.

Automated summary

The study assessed the presence of Dirofilaria immitis infection in pet dogs in China. About 70.8% of the pet dogs showed clinical symptoms resembling heartworm infection, and the overall dirofilariosis positivity rate was 12.5%. The highest infection rate was found in Shandong Province (15.5%), and the prevalence was significantly higher in summer compared to other seasons. Preventive measures should be taken to control the spread of dirofilariosis and reduce the risk of human and pet infection.