Prevalence and Risk Factors Associated with Dirofilaria Immitis Infection in Dogs in Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria Christopher Igoche Ogbaje and Abel-Danjuma
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Journal of Advanced Veterinary and Animal Research ISSN 2311-7710 (Electronic) http://doi.org/10.5455/javar.2016.c170 December 2016 A periodical of the Network for the Veterinarians of Bangladesh (BDvetNET) Vol 3 No 4, Pages 338-344. Original Article Prevalence and risk factors associated with Dirofilaria immitis infection in dogs in Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria Christopher Igoche Ogbaje and Abel-Danjuma • Received: July 20, 2016 • Revised: Sep 5, 2016 • Accepted: Sep 27, 2016 • Published Online: Oct 3, 2016 AFFILIATIONS ABSTRACT Christopher Igoche Ogbaje Objective: This study was designed to assess the prevalence and the associated Abel-Danjuma risk factors (e.g., sex, age, breed, management system and climate) of Dirofilaria Department of Veterinary Parasitology and immitis in dogs in Makurdi metropolis in Nigeria. Entomology, College of Veterinary Materials and methods: Prevalence study of canine heartworm disease in dogs Medicine, Federal University of was conducted over a period of six months covering five localities of Makurdi Agriculture, Makurdi. Benue State, metropolis in Benue State, Nigeria. A total of 186 blood samples were collected Nigeria. from apparently healthy and sick dogs, and the samples were examined for the presence of microfilaria between September 2015 and February 2016. Three methods (wet mount, Buffy coat and modified Knott’s techniques) were used for the examination of the samples. The Packed Cell Volume (PCV) and complete blood count for each sample were also determined. Results: Out of the 186 dogs, 4 (2.15%) were found to be positive for the presence of microfilaria. Out of the 4 positive cases, 3 (1.61%) were microfilaria and 1 (0.54%) was unidentified motile parasite. A total of 104 females were examined and only 1 (0.96%) was positive, while 3 (3.66%) males out of 82 examined were positive. Out of 141 older dogs examined, 4 (2.84%) were positive. Hematology of the positive dogs revealed mild anemia and moderate thrombocytopenia with Mean±SD of 34.8±15.30% and 108±60.81x109/L, respectively. Conclusion: The study confirms Knott’s technique to be the most sensitive in the diagnosis of dirofilariasis in dogs using parasitological techniques. The findings confirm the occurrence of D. immitis in dogs in Makurdi with low prevalence and that the general public are at high risk of spreading infection from the dogs. Infection is more in male and adult dogs. This work can assist in planning appropriate strategies for controlling and prevention of D. immitis infection in Nigeria. CORRESPONDENCE KEYWORDS Christopher Igoche Ogbaje Dogs, Dirofilaria, Heartworm, Mosquito, Zonoosis Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi. Benue State, Nigeria. How to cite: Ogbaje CI, Abel-Danjuma (2016). Prevalence and risk factors associated with Dirofilaria E-mail: [email protected] immitis infection in dogs in Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria. Journal of Advanced Veterinary and Animal Research, 3(4): 338-344. http://bdvets.org/javar/ Ogbaje and Abel-Danjuma/ J. Adv. Vet. Anim. Res., 3(4): 338-344, December 2016 338 INTRODUCTION failure (Camillie-Marie et al., 2015). A large number of infected dogs had abnor-malities in their hematological The danger post to the general public by the occurrence and biochemical profile. Clinical hematology study of Canine dirofilariasis (heartworm infection) in an showed mild to moderate anemia in microfilaremic dogs environment cannot be overemphasized. It is a parasitic (CAPC, 2015). nematode that occurs in canine and feline cardiopulmo- nary system, and it is also the causal agent of human Diagnosis of Dirofilariasis in companion animals is pulmonary dirofilariasis (Vieira et al., 2014). Over 70 mainly performed by; modified Knott’s technique, species of mosquitoes serve as an intermediate host; microfilarial density test, x-ray or ultrasound and Aedes, Anopheles, Armigeres and culex are the genera commercial serological test such as SnapR, Idexx, acting as vectors (Anderson and Davis, 2014). Dirofilaria DiroCHEKR, Agen, WitnessR (Altas et al., 2013). The immitis is a major potentially life-threatening disease of diagnosis of D. immitis is based on detection of circulating dogs with worldwide distribution and of zoonosis antigen or microfilariae released by mature adult female significance in many part of the world (Genchi et al., worm into the blood circulation, both being detectable as 2014). D. immitis is widely distributed in Africa, Asia, from 5 and 6 month post-infection respectively (CAPC, Australia, Latin America and Mediterranean countries 2015). Currently, different test have been developed for (Altas et al., 2013). However, D. immitis and D. repens are the detection of circulating antigens such as employing also considered agents of parasitic zoonosis in Europe lateral flow immunochromatographic technique, (Johnnes et al., 2013). membrane ELISAs or conventional ELISAs (Little et al., 2014). However, potential cross-reaction with other Currently, the distribution of canine dirofilariasis in helminths, mainly against filarial nematodes like Africa is not well known due to paucity of epidemio- Dipetalonema reconditum or D. repens occasionally occurs logical information, lack of methodological details when evaluated in animals with natural or experimental regarding the assays employed in the methods and the infection, but modern test kits may overcome cross- large variety of filarial species in the continent (Simon et reaction detected in previously developed test kits for al., 2012). The presence of D. immitis in dogs in Morocco, these parasite (Manuela and Deplazes, 2012). Necropsies Tunisia, Egypt, Tanzania, Kenya, Mozambique, Malawi, of heartworm infected dogs have confirmed the presence Senegal, Angola, Gabon, and Nigeria has been reported. of Wolbachia bacteria in heartworm. All dogs had a In sierra-leone, it has been reported in both dogs and cats humoral response to Walbachia surface protein (Kozek, (Simon et al., 2012). In South Africa, autochthonous D. 2004). Modified Knott’s test enables scientist to clearly repens infections have been documented, where D. immitis distinguish between D. immitis, D. repens and infections seem to have been imported (Simon et al., Acanthocheilonema (Dipetalonema) spp. Microfilariae of D. 2012). However, Anyanwu et al., (1996) reported repens has conical front end and curved caudal end. A. prevalence of canine filariasis in Zaria, Nigeria to be 8.9% drancunculoides has round front end and straight tail end. (D. repens), 2.5% (D. immitis-like parasite), and 4.4% A. reconditum has blunt front end and small hook at rear (unidentified species of filarial). Ajadi et al. (2011), end (Johnnes et al., 2013). D. immitis microfilariae has reported an incident of D. immitis in a 3 years old straight body and tail with tapered head (AHS, 2015). The Dorbaman in Ibadan, Nigeria. Patent infections of D. cephalic space of D. repens is short and terminated by immitis are possible in numerous wild and companion distinct pair of nuclei separate from the remaining animals. Animals and mosquitoes infected are capable of somatic nuclei, while the cephalic space in microfilariae transmitting the infection to humans, but there are no of D. immitis is longer without the distinct nuclei that reports of such infection becoming patent (Guerrero, separate from somatic column nuclei near the anterior 2012). Transmission takes place when a potential vector end (Liotta et al., 2013). bites dog or other host during subsequent blood meal (CAPC, 2015). The worm goes through a total of four Infection in dogs can be treated by administration of moults to mature into adult worm; the first two occur both ivermectin and doxycycline for several months prior inside mosquito and the next two inside the final host to melarsomine dihydrochloride or possibly even without (Dunn, 2014). Most infected dogs do not show any sign melarsomine, will eliminate adult heartworm with high of the disease for months or years, depending on the risk of severe thromboembolism than melarsomine alone worm burden, individual reactivity and level of exercise and will block transmission of the parasite (Vieira et al., (Anuchai et al., 2006). The clinical signs of the disease 2014). include coughing, exercise intolerance, unthriftiness, dypsnea, cyanosis, hemoptysis, syncope, epistaxis and This study was designed and conducted to check for the ascitis may develop due to right sided chronic heart presence, prevalence rate and some epidemiological risk Ogbaje and Abel-Danjuma/ J. Adv. Vet. Anim. Res., 3(4): 338-344, December 2016 339 factors associated with D. immitis in dogs in Makurdi et al., 2011). One mL of blood was taken from the town. EDTA sample then 9 mL of 2% buffered formalin was added and the solution obtained was centrifuged for 5 MATERIALS AND METHODS min at 2,000 rpm. The supernatant was decanted from the centrifuge tube and the sediment was mixed with Study area: The study was conducted in Makurdi, the equal parts of methylene blue dye (0.1%). The coloured capital of Benue State located in the middle belt region of sediment was spread on a slide, covered with cover slip Nigeria (Figure 1). Makurdi is located between longitude and examined under a microscope using X10 and X40 8035′E and 8041′E and latitude 7045′N and 9052′N (NMA, objectives. 2011). It is intersected by the River Benue which is the major source of water with other networks of streams, standing pools, over filled and blocked drainages,