What causes dog heartworm?

What causes dog heartworm?

• A. Dirofilaria immitis
• B. Wuchereria bancrofti
• C. Plasmodium falciparum
• D. Loa loa

Answer: (A)

Dog heartworm disease is caused by a parasitic worm that lives in the heart and pulmonary arteries. The culprit is Dirofilaria immitis. Mosquitoes spread the disease by transmitting larvae to dogs during feeding; over months these larvae mature into adults that obstruct blood flow and damage the heart and lungs. The other organisms listed cause different diseases in humans or other hosts: Wuchereria bancrofti leads to lymphatic filariasis, Plasmodium falciparum causes malaria, and Loa loa causes loiasis. So the organism specifically responsible for dog heartworm is Dirofilaria immitis.

Dog heartworm disease is caused by a parasitic worm that lives in the heart and pulmonary arteries. The culprit is Dirofilaria immitis. Mosquitoes spread the disease by transmitting larvae to dogs during feeding; over months these larvae mature into adults that obstruct blood flow and damage the heart and lungs. The other organisms listed cause different diseases in humans or other hosts: Wuchereria bancrofti leads to lymphatic filariasis, Plasmodium falciparum causes malaria, and Loa loa causes loiasis. So the organism specifically responsible for dog heartworm is Dirofilaria immitis.