Seroprevalence of canine dirofilariosis in South Korea

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. Chi2 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. Chi2 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.