Article
Potential Vectors of Dirofilaria immitis (Leidy, 1856) in Itacoatiara, Oceanic Region of Niterói Municipality, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Registro en:
LABARTHE, Norma et al. Potential Vectors of Dirofilaria immitis (Leidy, 1856) in Itacoatiara, Oceanic Region of Niterói Municipality, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, v. 93, n. 4, p. 425-532, July/Aug. 1998.
0074-0276
10.1590/S0074-02761998000400001
1678-8060
Autor
Labarthe, Norma
Serrão, Maria Lúcia
Melo, Yuri Fontenele
Oliveira, Sebastião José de
Oliveira, Ricardo Lourenço de
Resumen
Dirofilaria immitis is a widespread mosquito-borne parasite that causes dirofilariasis, a commonly
diagnosed disease of dogs that is rarely reported in cats and humans. A mosquito survey was conducted
in Itacoatiara in the State of Rio de Janeiro, from March 1995 to February 1996, using canine, feline
and human baits. A total of 3,667 mosquitoes were dissected for D. immitis larvae, representing 19
species and 10 genera. From those, Ae. scapularis, Ae taeniorhynchus, Cx. quinquefasciatus, Cx.
declarator, Cx. saltanensis and Wy. bourrouli were found infected with D. immitis parasites, and among
those, only the first three harbored infective larvae. The majority of larvae were found in the Malpighian
tubules (889/936), and larval melanization was observed in the two Aedes species. In descending order,
the best vectors were Ae. scapularis, Ae. taeniorhynchus, and Cx. quinquefasciatus which alternate
seasonally in importance. Cx. quinquefasciatus is suggested to be a vector to cats. The potential transmission of D. immitis parasites by these three vectors to man is discussed.