Skip to main content
. 2016 May 19;10(5):e0004547. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004547

Table 1. Comparison of Dirofilaria repens and D. immitis.

Dirofilaria repens Dirofilaria immitis—canine heartworm
• Canine and feline subcutaneous dirofilariosis • Canine and feline cardiopulmonary dirofilariosis
• Zoonotic pathogen—human subcutaneous and ocular dirofilariosis • Zoonotic pathogen—human pulmonary and ocular dirofilariosis
• Poor mammalian host specificity, with Canidae and Felidae as final hosts • Poor mammalian host specificity, with Canidae and Felidae as final hosts
• Human—less suitable hosts • Human—less suitable hosts
• Wild mammalian hosts: foxes • Wild mammalian hosts: foxes, jackals, wolves, and pet ferrets
• Distribution: limited to Old World—southern and eastern Europe, Asia Minor, central Asia, and Sri Lanka • Distribution: temperate, tropical, and subtropical areas of the world (Europe: main distribution in Mediterranean regions)