Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 18, 2026
09:57
Establishment of Viral Infection and Analysis of Host-Virus Interaction in Drosophila Melanogaster
Published on: March 14, 2019
11.4K
Dirofilaria immitis JYD-34 isolate: whole genome analysis
Catherine Bourguinat1, Francois Lefebvre2, Johanna Sandoval2
1Institute of Parasitology, McGill University, 21, 111 Lakeshore Road, Sainte Anne de Bellevue, QC, H9X3V9, Canada.
Parasites & Vectors
|November 17, 2017
Summary
Heartworm preventives may be less effective due to reduced susceptibility in certain Dirofilaria immitis isolates. Genetic analysis of the JYD-34 isolate confirms it shares genetic traits with these less susceptible strains, impacting macrocyclic lactone (ML) efficacy.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Parasitology
- Genomics
- Drug Resistance
Background:
- Macrocyclic lactone (ML) anthelmintics are crucial for heartworm prevention in companion animals.
- Suspected lack of efficacy (LOE) cases arise when heartworm preventives fail despite owner compliance.
- Some Dirofilaria immitis isolates exhibit reduced susceptibility to MLs, confirmed through controlled efficacy studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To genetically characterize the Dirofilaria immitis JYD-34 isolate, which shows reduced susceptibility to ML preventives.
- To compare the genetic profile of JYD-34 with known susceptible and LOE/reduced susceptibility isolates.
- To investigate the potential link between genotype and reduced ML susceptibility in heartworm isolates.
Main Methods:
- Whole genome sequencing of the JYD-34 isolate (90 Mbp).
- Bioinformatic comparison of JYD-34's genome with pooled genomes of susceptible and LOE D. immitis populations.
- Calculation of fixation indexes (FST) and analysis of 41 specific single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) known to differentiate susceptibility levels.
Main Results:
- FST analysis indicated that the JYD-34 isolate is genetically dissimilar to susceptible D. immitis isolates.
- Analysis of 41 key SNPs confirmed JYD-34's genetic profile aligns with previously identified LOE and reduced susceptibility isolates.
- The genomic data strongly suggests JYD-34 shares genetic characteristics with heartworm isolates exhibiting reduced ML susceptibility.
Conclusions:
- The study provides evidence linking the genotype of D. immitis isolates to their reduced susceptibility phenotype to MLs.
- Genetic analysis may serve as a valuable tool for predicting the efficacy of ML heartworm preventives against specific isolates.
- Further research on diverse reduced-susceptibility isolates is needed to validate the utility of genetic profiling in predicting preventive response.
