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Increasing prevalence of canine heartworm in coyotes from California
1Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley 94720, USA.
Abstract:
Thirty-seven subadult and adult coyotes (Canis latrans), collected August 1992 through December 1996 from a coastal foothill area in northern California (USA), were examined for adult heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis). During 1992 through 1993, at the end of a 6 yr drought, none of four coyotes examined were infected with heartworms. However, during 1994 through 1996, after the drought had ended, prevalences were 91% in 23 adult coyotes and 40% in 10 subadult coyotes. Heartworm intensity did not differ by sex of coyote, and averaged (+/- SE) 19.4 +/- 3.8 among adults; one subadult had > 238 heartworms. The prevalence and intensity of heartworm infection in coyotes reported here for 1994 through 1996 are the highest reported anywhere in the United States.