Prevalence and Molecular Identification of Dirofilaria Repens in Dogs from the Suburban Region of Mumbai, India - A Retrospective Survey
Sundarachelvan S*, Gokarn NS, Sanjana Karve, Vaishnavi Degloorkar, Manasi Tulpule, Komal Gaikwad and Kanaujiya Sunil Fulchand
The Progressive Pet Clinic, Vasai West, Maharashtra, India
*Corresponding Author: Sundarachelvan S, The Progressive Pet Clinic, Vasai West, Maharashtra, India.
Received:
October 08, 2025; Published: October 30, 2025
Abstract
Dirofilaria repens is a vector borne zoonotic filarial nematode that typically inhabits the subcutaneous tissues of canine. In this study, blood smear examination of 80 dogs were examined. Microfilaria were incidentally detected in the smears of five dogs. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was performed on five samples and to identify the microfilariae- and all the five samples were identified as D. repens. The prevalence of D. repens in the suburban region obtained in this study is 6.25%. Dogs are the potential mode of transmission for the spread of D. repens in humans, and thus this study attempts to throw light on the zoonotic significance of occurrence of D. repens and the necessity for essential prevention and control measures.
Keywords: Dirofilaria repens; Zoonoses; Dirofilariasis; Dogs
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