Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Campus Road, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
Trends Parasitol. 2010 Apr;26(4):168-73. doi: 10.1016/j.pt.2010.01.003. Epub 2010 Feb 22.
Heartworms can cause serious cardiopulmonary disease in their canid hosts. Canine heartworm has become widespread in many parts of the world, and its range continues to expand. Wildlife reservoirs play a role in perpetuation and transmission of this parasite to dogs. Human heartworm infection is incidental and is typically not associated with severe clinical disease; however, because no serological test is readily available, patients must undergo invasive procedures to differentiate heartworm from other more serious diseases. Human cases have been reported mainly in areas of high canine prevalence, highlighting the importance of heartworm testing and chemoprophylaxis in all dogs to reduce transmission. Future efforts should focus on the development of a non-invasive diagnostic test for people, and on epidemiological surveys for both animals and people.
心丝虫可导致犬宿主发生严重心肺疾病。犬心丝虫已在世界许多地区广泛传播，其分布范围仍在不断扩大。野生动物宿主在心丝虫向犬类传播和持续存在中发挥作用。人类感染心丝虫属于偶发事件，通常与严重临床疾病无关；但是，由于没有现成的血清学检测方法，患者必须进行有创性检查，以将心丝虫与其他更严重的疾病区分开来。人类感染心丝虫的病例主要报告于犬类高流行地区，这突出表明所有犬类都应进行心丝虫检测和化学预防，以减少传播。未来的工作重点应放在开发针对人类的非侵入性诊断检测方法上，并开展针对人和动物的心丝虫病流行病学调查。
