Document Type
Article
Publication Date
8-2019
Publication Title
International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife
Abstract
The lemurs of Madagascar are threatened by human activities. We present the first molecular detection of canine heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) in a wild non-human primate, the mouse lemur (Microcebus rufus). Zoonotic D. immitis infection has been associated with clinical pathology that includes serious and often fatal cardiac and pulmonary reactions. With human encroachment and associated increases in free-roaming dog populations in Madagascar, we examined lemurs for zoonotic canid pathogens. D. immitis presents a new potential conservation threat to lemurs. We highlight the need for wide-ranging and effective interventions, particularly near protected areas, to address this growing conservation issue.
Volume
9
First Page
119
Last Page
121
DOI
doi.org/10.1016/j.ijppaw.2019.04.005
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Rights
© 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Australian Society for Parasitology. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/BY/4.0/).
Recommended Citation
Zohdy, Sarah; Valenta, Kim; Rabaoarivola, Bernadette; Zaky, Weam I.; Pilotte, Nils; Williams, Steven A.; Chapman, Colin A.; and Farris, Zach J., "Causative Agent of Canine Heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) Detected in Wild Lemurs" (2019). Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications, Smith College, Northampton, MA.
https://scholarworks.smith.edu/bio_facpubs/62
Comments
Archived as published.