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See more of Symposium: Board Certified Entomologists: Delusory Parasitosis (a.k.a. Ekbom's Syndrome)
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• From Uneeda Bryant, DVM, Veterinary Anatomic Pathology Senior Resident/Post-doc, University of Kentucky, March 9, 2006
  Greetings Dr. Pellitteri, My name is Uneeda Bryant and I am a senior resident in anatomic veterinary pathology at the University of Kentucky’s Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center. I had a question about mosquito-borne heartworm disease in dogs and wanted to get ome advice from you considering your expertise in entomology. I performed a necropsy on a 3-year-old Labrador in October of 2005. The dog was diagnosed with heartworm disease based on the necropsy. Fifteen adult nematodes (the vast majority appeared to be females) consistent with D. immitis were recovered from the pulmonary artery and right ventricular chamber of the heart. Upon reviewing the slides microscopically a fulminating microfilaremia was also detected (microfilaria observed within brain, heart, lung, liver, kidney, spleen, pancreas, and mesentery). This particular dog resided in Mississippi I believe the first 2 years of life and was later moved to TN with new owners. There is no record of heartworm testing but the dog was given heartworm preventative on and off once acquired by new owners in Dec. of 2004. My question is with the burden of 15 adult heartworms and a fulminating microfilaremia…….do you think that this dog would have been infected within early spring or summer (April/June) of 2005 or infected earlier? During the development of the larval stages within the mosquito does that 27 degree temperature have to be constant for 2-3 weeks in order to complete the developmental process to L3? Approximately how many larval stages can reside and develop into infective larvae (L3) in one mosquito< What would be the odds for a this animal to be infected in April/June of 2005 with such a load (15 adult heartworms and microfilaremia)? I would love to chat with you about this case if at all possible. I will leave you my contact information if you need more details about the case or if you wish to contact me. I have to thank you in advance for taking the time to out of your busy schedule to help and educate me on the fine details of this phenomenal disease. Thanks again, Dr. Uneeda K. Bryant Post-doctoral Scholar/Senior Resident in Anatomic Veterinary Pathology University of Kentucky Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center P.O. Box 14125 Lexington, KY 40512-4125 Phone: 859-253-0571 ext. 169 Fax: 859-255-1624 Email: ubryant@uky.edu