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More than 150,000 cases of canine heartworm disease are reported annually in the United States alone. Monthly preventive treatments for dogs have been widely available since the mid-1980s. However, drug-resistant strains are on the rise, highlighting the need for novel disease control strategies. Researchers will investigate how infection by certain bacteria decreases the capacity of mosquitoes to transmit infectious larvae of Dirofilaria immitis, the agent of heartworm disease. Bacteria-infected mosquitoes (and control groups) will be exposed to both drug-sensitive and drug-resistant parasites. The team hopes findings will provide a new approach to block the spread of the heartworm disease by targeting parasites in their mosquito host.

Study ID
D22CA-015
Study Status
Active
Start Date
12/01/2021
Grant amount awarded
$75,000
Grant recipient
University of Pennsylvania
Study country
United States
Investigator
Michael Povelones, PhD
Study category
Infectious Disease