Dirofilaria Species Detected from Dogs in Tokyo

Abstract

Filarial larvae were collected from 110 dogs raised in Tokyo and examined morphologically by the acetone concentration method. All of them were sheathless and classified into two species on the basis of the shape, length, and width of the body. The larvae detected from 109 dogs were large in size and identifiidentified as those ofDirofilaria immitis, and those from the other dog were small in size and identified as those of Dipetalonema reconditum. This dog was a hound imported from Kentucky, U.S.A. It was for the first time in Japan that this species was found in any prefecture other than Okinawa.