Molecular detection of Dirofilaria immitis and its Wolbachia endosymbionts in dogs from Myanmar

Saw Bawm; Yadanar Khaing; Hla Myet Chel; Myint Myint Hmoon; Shwe Yee Win; Min Bo; Tint Naing; Lat Lat Htun

doi:10.1016/j.crpvbd.2023.100148

Molecular detection of Dirofilaria immitis and its Wolbachia endosymbionts in dogs from Myanmar

Curr Res Parasitol Vector Borne Dis. 2023 Oct 4:4:100148. doi: 10.1016/j.crpvbd.2023.100148. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Saw Bawm^{1

2}, Yadanar Khaing³, Hla Myet Chel², Myint Myint Hmoon², Shwe Yee Win², Min Bo⁴, Tint Naing⁵, Lat Lat Htun²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Livestock and Aquaculture Research, Yezin, Nay Pyi Taw, 15013, Myanmar.
² Department of Pharmacology and Parasitology, University of Veterinary Science, Yezin, Nay Pyi Taw, 15013, Myanmar.
³ Department of International Relations and Information Technology, University of Veterinary Science, Yezin, Nay Pyi Taw, 15013, Myanmar.
⁴ Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Veterinary Science, Yezin, Nay Pyi Taw, 15013, Myanmar.
⁵ Crown Veterinary Resources, Yangon, Myanmar.

Abstract

Heartworm disease in dogs and cats caused by Dirofilaria immitis continues to be a major clinical issue globally. This study focused on dogs suspicious of having tick-borne diseases (TBD) brought to a clinic and a veterinary teaching hospital in Myanmar. Blood samples were collected and initially screened using SNAP® 4Dx® Plus test kit. All dog blood samples were subjected to conventional PCR to detect both Dirofilaria spp. (cox1 gene) and Wolbachia spp. (16S rDNA) infections. Infection with D. immitis was detected in 14 (28.0%) of 50 examined samples, while the detection rate of TBD causative agents, including Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Ehrlichia canis, was 26.0% (13/50) and 26.0% (13/50), respectively, as determined by ELISA rapid test. In this study, D. immitis infection was moderately but significantly correlated with TBD infections (Pearson's r = 0.397, P = 0.008). Comparative sequence and phylogenetic analyses provided molecular identification of D. immitis in Myanmar and confirmed the identity of its Wolbachia endosymbiont with Wolbachia endosymbionts isolated from D. immitis, Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Aedes aegypti. The present study contributes to our understanding of the coexistence of D. immitis and Wolbachia endosymbiosis in dogs, and the findings may benefit the future prevention and control of dirofilariasis in dogs.

Keywords: Dirofilaria immitis; Dog; Myanmar; PCR; Wolbachia.