The authors carried out treatment tests of so-called filarial dermatitis, or elephantiasis, with filaricidal drugs and comparative observation of some organic functions on 43 cases of dermatitis, 24 cases of filariasis, and 11 normal dogs and discussed the correlation between the skin lesions and Dirofilaria infection.The results obtained are summarized as follows.
1. No arsenic compound produced any beneficial effect. In a few cases, administration of antimony compound alone or treatment against both adults and microfilariae was somewhat effective. Recovery or reduction of skin condition, however, was very slow and any effect of such medication was not clarified.
2. With almost the same frequency of occurrece, insufficiency in the liver and kidney functionns was found both in filaria-infected cases and filaria- infected dermatitis cases. Such insufficient functions were always found in severe cases of skin lesions.
3. The QRZ (Quaddelresorptionszeit or the time for disappearance of wheal) was shortend in cases with the impaired liver and kidney.
4. It is, therefore, difficult to consider that the skin condition was caused by these secondary organic dysfunction as a result of dirofilaria infection. Some doubts exist as to the presence of direct relations between the skin lesions and filaria infection.
5. Anti-histamic preparation showed transitional beneficial results. It is thought that dermatitis brought about allergic conditions.
6. Hematological examination on dermatitis cases showed the presence of fiariasis, which was characterized by the increase of monocytes and eosinophils.
7. Positive epinephrin test was shown in two cases of dermatitis.
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