Morphological and molecular detection of canine dirofilarial species of veterinary and medical importance in Morogoro municipality, Tanzania

Jean Pierre Kambala Mukendi; Elikira Kimbita; Kennedy Makola Mbanzulu; Patience Pati Moloko Maindo; Gerald Misinzo

doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2016.02.005

Morphological and molecular detection of canine dirofilarial species of veterinary and medical importance in Morogoro municipality, Tanzania

Vet Parasitol. 2016 Apr 15:220:1-3. doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2016.02.005. Epub 2016 Feb 6.

Authors

Jean Pierre Kambala Mukendi¹, Elikira Kimbita², Kennedy Makola Mbanzulu³, Patience Pati Moloko Maindo⁴, Gerald Misinzo⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3019, Chuo Kikuu, Morogoro, Tanzania; Department of Tropical Medicine, Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, P.O. Box 747, Kinshasa XI, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Electronic address: jeanpierre.mukendi@unikin.ac.cd.
² Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3019, Chuo Kikuu, Morogoro, Tanzania. Electronic address: ekimbita@yahoo.co.uk.
³ Department of Tropical Medicine, Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, P.O. Box 747, Kinshasa XI, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Electronic address: mbanzulu.kennedy@sacids.org.
⁴ Department of Tropical Medicine, Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, P.O. Box 747, Kinshasa XI, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Electronic address: patimaindo@gmail.com.
⁵ Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3019, Chuo Kikuu, Morogoro, Tanzania. Electronic address: gmisinzo@gmail.com.

PMID: 26995713
DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2016.02.005

Abstract

A descriptive cross-sectional survey of Dirofilaria infections in dogs was carried out from January to March 2015 in Morogoro municipality, Tanzania. One hundred and fifty two blood samples were collected from healthy dogs aged more than 6 months living in different areas of Morogoro, and analyzed by modified Knott's technique for circulating microfilariae. Microfilaraemic samples were further analyzed by Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and PCR products were sequenced for molecular identification. Microfilariae were detected by microscopy in 9 samples (5.92%), of which 6 tested positive by PCR. The 5.8S-internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2)-28S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequences generated were 97% identical to Dirofilaria immitis and 86% to 90% identical to D. repens, confirming the presence of D. immitis in Tanzania and showing the presence of D. repens, not previously observed.

Keywords: D. repens; Dirofilaria immitis; Microscopy; Morogoro; Sequencing; Tanzania.

MeSH terms

Animals
Cross-Sectional Studies
DNA, Helminth / genetics
DNA, Ribosomal / genetics
DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / genetics
Dirofilaria immitis / cytology
Dirofilaria immitis / genetics
Dirofilaria immitis / isolation & purification
Dirofilaria immitis / physiology*
Dirofilaria repens / cytology
Dirofilaria repens / genetics
Dirofilaria repens / isolation & purification
Dirofilaria repens / physiology*
Dirofilariasis / epidemiology
Dirofilariasis / parasitology*
Dog Diseases / epidemiology
Dog Diseases / parasitology*
Dogs
Polymerase Chain Reaction / veterinary
Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
Tanzania / epidemiology

Substances

DNA, Helminth
DNA, Ribosomal
DNA, Ribosomal Spacer