SUMMARY: Morris Animal Foundation-funded researchers at the University of Pennsylvania are investigating how infection by certain bacteria decreases the ability of mosquitoes to transmit infectious larvae of Dirofilaria immitis, the agent of heartworm disease.
THE PROBLEM: Mosquitoes are required for heartworm transmission between dogs. Every year, more than 150,000 cases of canine heartworm disease are reported in the United States alone. Monthly preventive treatments for dogs have been widely available since the mid-1980s. However, drug-resistant strains are on the rise, highlighting the need for novel disease control strategies. The team hopes findings will provide a new approach to block the spread of the heartworm disease by targeting parasites in their mosquito host.
Continue reading “Research Update MAF D22CA-015 FINAL: Blocking Heartworm Transmission”