Dirofilariasis is the disease caused by Dirofilaria worm infections. In dogs, one form is called “heartworm disease” and is caused by D. immitis.
What type of worm is a heartworm?
Dirofilaria immitis, also known as heartworm or dog heartworm, is a parasitic roundworm that is a type of filarial worm, a small thread-like worm, that causes dirofilariasis. It is spread from host to host through the bites of mosquitoes.
Is a heartworm a nematode?
heartworm disease …is caused by the nematode Dirofilaria immitis. Infective larvae (microfilariae) develop in mosquitoes, which serve as the vector for transmission. In dogs, after the larvae are introduced into the host, they develop and migrate to the right side of the heart, where they mature.
Is a heartworm a flatworm?
Like flatworms, roundworm species adopt either a free-living or a parasitic lifestyle. Parasitic nematodes (Fig. 3.41 A, C, D, and E) include heartworms that infect domestic dogs and the hookworms and pinworms that commonly infect small children.
Which of the following nematodes is responsible for heartworm in dogs?
Dirofilaria immitis is a filarial nematode that affects companion animals, mostly dogs and cats, causing heartworm disease that constitutes a major veterinary concern28,29,30.
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