Sh Ranjbar-Bahadori - Department of Parasitology , Veterinary Collage, Islamic Azad University, Garmsar Branch, Garmsar, Semnan- Iran
A Hekmatkhah - Graduated from the Veterinary Collage, Islamic Azad University, Garmsar Branch, Semnan- Iran

Dirofilaria immitis is located in the heart and releases their microfilaria in peripheralcirculation. In this study, the blood samples from 122 dogs were taken from cephalic or saphenveins. Samples were examined by the modified Knot method. Then in infected dogs, allmicrofilaria in each ml. of blood were calculated and adult worms were isolated from heart andtheir sex was determined. Blood microfilaria were observed in 18 samples (14.75%),microfilaria of Dirifilaria immitis in 15 samples (12.29%), microfilaria of Dipetalonemareconditum in two samples (1.64%) and mixed infection in one sample (0.82%). The relationshipbetween infection and sex, age and geographical regions was not significant but the rate ofinfection in Noh Hesar and Ghias Abad was significantly higher than that of other rural regions.The average of microfilaria in each ml. of blood in infected dogs was 4470.6 ± 1243.54 andaverage of isolated adult worms from heart was 3.13 ± 0.29.Regarding the presence of infectionin Garmsar and the probability infection in humans, the infection should be controlled by theremoval of stray dogs and treatment of sheepdogs.

Dirofilaria immitis, Dipetalonema reconditum, Garmsar