Feline heartworm disease, caused by the filarial nematode Dirofilaria immitis, has been diagnosed with increased frequency in areas endemic for canine heartworm infection. The routine methods for determining the infection status of dogs, such as identification of circulating microfilariae in blood
Infection with canine heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis), spread via mosquito vectors, causes coughing, asthma, pneumonia, and bronchitis in humans and other animals. The disease is especially severe and often fatal in dogs and represents a serious threat to public health worldwide. Cysteine