Term of Award
Spring 1995
Degree Name
Master of Science
Document Type and Release Option
Thesis (restricted to Georgia Southern)
Department
Department of Biology
Committee Chair
Oscar J. Pung
Committee Member 1
William S. Irby
Committee Member 2
Ann E. Pratt
Committee Member 3
Kishwar Maur
Abstract
Dirofilaria tenuis is a subcutaneous filariid of the raccoon (Procyon lotor) which is transmitted by mosquitoes and occasionally infects humans. The parasite has not been reported to occur in raccoons from Georgia though a patient from the southeastern section of the state was recently treated for a D. tenuis-induced conjunctival nodule. To determine the prevalence of D. tenuis among raccoons in Georgia, animals were live-trapped, anesthetized and bled. Wet mounts of fresh raccoon blood and preparations of blood concentrated in 2% formalin were examined for the presence of D. tenuis microfilariae using a light microscope. We found that 48 of 90 raccoons (53%) trapped in the southeastern Georgia counties of Richmond, Bryan, Bulloch, Candler and Liberty were infected with the parasite. Numbers of microfilariae ranged from 100 to 14,750/ml of raccoon blood (mean ± SD = 2,215 ± 2,757). The mean length and width (pm) of microfilariae in 2% formalin were 292.7 ± 29.5 and 5.0 ± 1.3 respectively. Microfilariae had buttonhooked tails and were unsheathed. This is the first report of D. tenuis in raccoons in the state of Georgia. Additionally, I examined mosquitoes trapped in southeast Georgia to determine which species serve as vectors of D. tenuis in this area and to determine the prevalence of the parasite in mosquitoes. I dissected 521 mosquitoes (23 different species) and have found 7 mosquitoes of the species Aedes taeniorhynchus infected with as yet to be identified filariid larvae and prelarvae.
OCLC Number
1030877726
Catalog Permalink
https://galileo-georgiasouthern.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01GALI_GASOUTH/1r4bu70/alma9916056293502950
Copyright
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Recommended Citation
Davis, Paul H., "Prevalence of Presumed Dirofilaria tenuis in Raccoons and Mosquitoes in Southeast Georgia" (1995). Legacy ETDs. 1001.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd_legacy/1001