Prevalence of Dirofilaria immitis Infestation in Dog in Agartala, Tripura, India

Aim: The present investigation was aimed to study the prevalence of Dirofilaria immitis in dogs. Place and Duration of Study: The present work was conducted for a period of one calendar year from February 2023 to January 2024 at different veterinary hospitals, dispensaries and private clinics in and around Agartala, Tripura. Methodology: Blood samples were collected from 824 numbers of dogs and they were subsequently examined by wet blood film method and modified Knott’s technique. Results: Overall prevalence of D. immitis was found 22.08%. Breed, sex, age, season and category wise prevalence of D. immitis was recorded highest in mongrels (28.41%), in male dogs (22.57%), in dogs more than 3 years age (22.94%), in pre-monsoon season (25.86%) and in stray dogs (34.02%). Conclusion: The result shows a relative high prevalence of dirofilariasis in Agartala, Tripura and hence veterinarians should pay more concern to this zoonotic disease and take appropriate measures to prevent the disease to dog population as well as human beings.