"Molecular evaluation for Dirofilaria immitis in dogs and cats rescued from Zoonoses Surveillance Units - UVZs and Departments of Animal Protection from coastal regions of the State of São Paulo"

• Grant number: 23/08641-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2023
• End date: November 30, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Preventive Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Simone Baldini Lucheis
• Grantee: Ana Beatriz Matias da Silva
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Heartworm disease is an emerging and neglected zoonosis, caused by nematodes of the Filariidae family, genus Dirofilaria. The transmission of the disease occurs through the bite of a vector mosquito, these being the genera: Aedes, Culex and Anopheles. Infected humans may be asymptomatic or develop clinical signs such as subcutaneous nodules and involvement of the lung parenchyma. In dogs, the signs are usually lesions in the vascular endothelium and right ventricle, resulting from the presence of the adult parasite. Felines are more resistant to infection, having a smaller clinical sample. In Brazil, seven species occur: D. acutiuscula, D. freitasi, D. incrassata, D. immitis, D. repens, D. spectans and D. striata, considering Dirofilaria immitis as the most recognized species and having as its main region prevalent in coastal areas. The life cycle is relatively long and its duration will depend on temperature and humidity, with 27°C at 80% humidity being ideal. Wild canids, such as coyotes, are natural reservoirs of the nematode. The objective of the project is to research and diagnose Dirofilaria immitis in 60 dogs and 60 cats from Zoonosis Surveillance Units (UVZ) in coastal cities in São Paulo: Peruíbe, Itanhaém, Mongaguá, Guarujá, São Sebastião and Ubatuba. Blood samples will be collected for direct parasitological diagnosis using the modified Knott technique and molecular diagnosis using the conventional Polymerase Chain Reaction (cPCR) technique and, subsequently, genetic sequencing of positive samples will be carried out, enabling the identification of the parasite species. .