Microfilaremia by Cercopithifilaria bainae in a dog from the central western region of Brazil: case report

Cercopithifilaria bainae is a nematode belonging to the family Onchocercidae that parasitizes the subcutaneous tissue of dogs. Its transmission occurs through the tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus and its geographical distribution overlaps that of this vector. The present study reports the detection of microfilaremia by C. bainae in an eight-year-old male dog that presented anorexia, hyperthermia, motor incoordination, mydriasis, a nodule in the left testicle and concomitant infection by Ehrlichia sp. Blood samples were analyzed using microscopy, PCR and DNA sequencing. Microfilariae measuring 150 +/- 5.5 mu m in length and 7 +/- 1.8 mu m in width were retrieved. The DNA sequence exhibited 98% identity with C. bainae sequences available in Genbank. This is the first report of microfilaremia by C. bainae in a dog in the central western region of Brazil.