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Table 4 Summary of canine heartworm prevalence data in Australia from published studies between 1901–2019

From: Pig-hunting dogs are an at-risk population for canine heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) infection in eastern Australia

Location

Year(s)

Sample size

Sample source

Method of detection

Prevalence (%)

Reference

Queensland

 Brisbane

1959

Unknown

Dogs

Necropsy

10 (unspecified)

[37]

 Brisbane

1964–1965

761

RSPCA dogs

Necropsy and/or Mff

24 (183/761; 95% CI: 21.1–27.2)

[6]

 Brisbane

1968

114

Pound dogs

Unknown

17 (unspecified)

[38]

 Townsville

1969

94

Vet clinic dogs

Mff

37 (35/94; 95% CI: 28.1–47.3)

[6]

 Brisbane

296

21 (61/296; 95% CI: 16.4–25.6)

 Brisbane

1969–1971

238

Dogs

Mff

15 (37/238; 95% CI: 11.5–20.7)

[10]

 Cherbourg

16

Dogs

6 (1/16; 95% CI: < 0.1–30.3)

 Edward River

36

Dogs

85 (31/36; 95% CI: 70.9–94.4)

 Aurukun

23

Dogs

90 (20/23; 95% CI: 67.0–96.3)

 Bamaga

48

Dogs

25 (12/48; 95% CI: 14.8–38.9)

 Hope Vale

86

Dogs

0 (0/86; 95% CI: 0–5.1)

 Mornington Island

14

Dogs

0 (0/14; 95% CI: 0–25.2)

 Kowanyama

 

84

Dogs

Necropsy

88 (78/84; 95% CI: 85.0–97.0)

[10]

 Townsville

1972

28

Owned dogs

Mff

68 (unspecified)

[39]

 Brisbane

1972–1976

480

Dogs

Mff

36 (171/480; 95% CI: 31.5–40.0)

[10]

 Cherbourg

80

Dogs

8 (6/80; 95% CI: 3.2–15.7)

 Kowanyama

45

Dogs

64 (29/45; 95% CI: 49.8–76.8)

 Edward River

23

Dogs

78 (18/23; 95% CI: 57.7–90.8)

 Bamaga

45

Dogs

71 (32/45; 95% CI: 56.5–82.4)

 Brisbane

1979

120

Pound dogs

Mff

36 (43/120; 95% CI: 27.8–44.7)

[7]

 Brisbane

1981

100

Stray puppies (> 8 weeks)

Mff

1 (1/100; 95% CI: < 0.1–6.0)

[40]

 Brisbane

1986

57

Pound dogs

Necropsy

60 (34/57; 95% CI: 46.7–71.4)

[41]

 Brisbane

1986

59

Pound dogs

Necropsy

64 (35/59; 95% CI: 46.6–70.9)

[42]

 Brisbane

1988

125

Stray dogs

Necropsya

42 (52/125; 95% CI: 33. 3–50.7)

[28]

 Brisbane

1989

100

Dogs

Necropsy

22 (22/100; 95% CI: 14.9–31.1)

[12]

 Brisbane

1991

272

Pound dogs

Necropsy

49 (134/272; 95% CI: 43.4–55.2)

[25]

 Brisbane

1993

57

Pound dogs

Necropsy

60 (34/57; 95% CI: 46.7–71.4)

[43]

 Townsville

2001

Unknown

Pound dogs

Unknown

15 (unspecified)

[44]

2002

27

Wild dogs

56 (15/27; 95% CI: 37.3–72.4)

 Yarrabah

2008–2012

51

Remote community dogs

SNAP (Idexx)

2 (1/51; 95% CI: < 0.1–11.3)

[45]

 Cairns

2007–2013

23

Wild + urban fringe dingoes

Necropsy, Mff, SNAP (Idexx)

44 (10/23; 95% CI: 25.6–63.2)

[19]

 Atherton

2007–2013

5

Urban fringe dingoes

Necropsy

0 (0/5; 95% CI: 0–48.9)

[19]

New South Wales

 Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area (Southern NSW)

1966

Unknown

Necropsy dogs

Necropsy

50 (unspecified)

[46]

 Sydney

1968

62

Dogs

Mff

19 (12/62; 95% CI: 11.3–31.0)

[47]

 Sydney

1971–1972

495

Pound dogs

Necropsy

4 (21/495; 95% CI: 2.8–6.4)

[26]

 Sydney

1971

40

Vet clinic dogs

Mff

8 (3/40; 95% CI: 1.9–20.6)

[26]

 Sydney

1972

339

Pound dogs

Necropsy

3 (9/339; 95% CI: 1.3–5.0)

[48]

 Hunter Valley/Coastal NSW

1979–1981

331

Greyhounds

Mff

11 (36/331; 95% CI: 7.9–14.7)

[9]

 Sydney

1981–1983

405

Vet clinic dogs

Mff

13 (51/405; 95% CI 9.7–16.2)

[49]

 Sydney

1982–1983

68

Red foxes Vulpes vulpes

Necropsy

9 (6/68; 95% CI: 3. 8–18.3)

[49]

 Sydney

1983

100

Pound dogs

Necropsy

50 (50/100; 95% CI: 40.4–59.6)

[50]

 Sydney

1987

100

Pound dogs

Necropsya

24 (24/100; 95% CI: 16.6–33.3)

[29]

 Sydney

1987

100

Pound dogs

Necropsy

32 (32/100; 95%CI: 23.7 to 41.7)

[51]

 Sydney

1992

304

Pound dogs

Mffa

12 (36/304; 95% CI: 8.7–16.0)

[5]

100

Necropsya

15 (15/100; 95% CI: 9.2–23.4)

 Collarenebri

2008–2009

39

Remote community dogs

SNAP (Idexx)

0 (0/39; 95% CI: 0–10.7)

[45]

 Goodooga

2008–2009

19

Remote community dogs

SNAP (Idexx)

21 (4/19; 95% CI: 8.0–43.9)

[45]

Victoria

 Melbourne

1946

174

Ownerless dogs

Necropsy

0 (0/174; 95% CI: 0–2.6)

[52]

 North-eastern Victoria

1978

752

Pound dogs (734)

Necropsy

2 (15/734; 95% CI: 1.2–3.4)

[53]

  

Greyhounds (18)

 

28 (5/18; 95% CI: 12.2–51.2)

 

 Melbourne

1991–1994

125

Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes)

Dirochek® (Symbiotics)

6 (8/125; 95% CI: 3.1–12.3)

[54]

Northern Territory

 Darwin

1963

Unknown

Dogs

Unknown

70 (unspecified)

[6]

 Alice Springs

1972–1976

98

Vet clinic dogs

Mff

13 (12/98; 95% CI: 0.1–20.3)

[10]

 Docker River + Indulkana

73

Remote community dogs

Mff

0 (0/73; 95% CI: 0–6.0)

[10]

 Katherine

1988

32

Dingoes

Necropsy

56 (18/32; 95% CI: 39.3–71.9)

[55]

 Ti Tree

2007–2009

48

Remote community dogs

SNAP (Idexx)

2.5 (4/48; 95% CI: 2.8–20.1)

[45]

 Tiwi Islands

2008–2009

27

Remote community dogs

SNAP (Idexx)

0 (0/27; 95% CI: 0–14.8)

[45]

South Australia

 South Australia

1988–1991

1658

Dogs

Mff

1 (19/1658; 95% CI: 0.7–1.8)

[8]

Western Australia

 Kimberly

1993

58

Remote community dogs

Necropsy

0 (0/58; 95% CI: 0–7.4)

[56]

 Bidyadanga

2008

15

Remote community dogs

SNAP (Idexx)

0 (0/15; 95% CI: 0–23.9)

[45]

  1. aValidation of DiroChek® Symbiotics Corp. USA supplied by Commonwealth Serum Laboratories, Parkville, Victoria (now owned by Zoetis, NJ)
  2. Abbreviations: 95% CI, 95% confidence interval; Mff, detection of microfilariae