Labarthe N, Ferreira A M, Guerrero J, Newcomb K, Paes-de-Almeida E
Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Vet Parasitol. 1997 Aug;71(4):301-6. doi: 10.1016/s0304-4017(97)00041-1.
To evaluate the prevalence of heartworm disease in metropolitan Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil, cats submitted for euthanasia were evaluated by laboratory tests and by necropsy for signs of heartworm infection. Of the 135 cats examined, one (0.8%)--a stray male from an urbanizing district--had one male worm (14.5 cm) in the left lung and showed severe muscular hypertrophy of small pulmonary arteries and arterioles with no right ventricle enlargement or passive congestion. Microfilariae were not detected in the blood of any cats. The prevalence of canine heartworm in the area from which this cat originated is estimated to be approximately 12%. The prevalence of canine heartworm in the urban area of Rio de Janeiro has been determined to be approximately 5%. It has been shown that the prevalence of feline heartworm disease parallels that in dogs, but at a lower rate. Results of this survey strongly suggest that heartworm prevention measures should be taken under consideration, especially among cats living in a high canine heartworm prevalence area.
为评估巴西里约热内卢市大都会地区的心丝虫病患病率，对提交安乐死的猫进行了实验室检测和尸检，以检查心丝虫感染迹象。在接受检查的135只猫中，有一只（0.8%）——一只来自城市化地区的流浪雄性猫——在左肺中有一条雄虫（14.5厘米），并表现出小肺动脉和小动脉严重的肌肉肥大，右心室无扩大或被动性充血。在任何猫的血液中均未检测到微丝蚴。据估计，这只猫来源地区的犬心丝虫患病率约为12%。里约热内卢市区的犬心丝虫患病率已确定约为5%。研究表明，猫心丝虫病的患病率与犬心丝虫病平行，但比例较低。本次调查结果强烈表明，应考虑采取预防心丝虫的措施，特别是在犬心丝虫患病率高的地区生活的猫中。
