''Dirofilaria'' is a

filaria ''Filaria'' is a genus of nematodes belonging to the family Filariidae. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution In biogeography, cosmopolitan distribution is the term for the range of a taxon that extends across all or most of the world in ...

l (

arthropod Arthropods (, (gen. ποδός)) are invertebrate animals with an exoskeleton, a Segmentation (biology), segmented body, and paired jointed appendages. Arthropods form the phylum Arthropoda. They are distinguished by their jointed limbs and Arth ...

-borne)

nematode The nematodes ( or grc-gre, Νηματώδη; la, Nematoda) or roundworms constitute the phylum Nematoda (also called Nemathelminthes), with plant-Parasitism, parasitic nematodes also known as eelworms. They are a diverse animal phylum inhab ...

(roundworm), in the family

Onchocercidae The Onchocercidae are a family of nematodes in the superfamily Filarioidea. This family includes some of the most devastating human parasitic diseases, such as lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, loiasis, and other filariases. Representativ ...

. Some species cause

dirofilariasis Dirofilariasis is an infection by parasites of the genus ''Dirofilaria''. It is transmitted through a mosquito bite; its main hosts include dogs and wild canids. These can give rise to granulomas in the pulmonary artery. Some common symptoms incl ...

, a state of parasitic infection, in humans and other animals. There are about 27 species in the genus.Michalski, M. L., et al. (2010). dentification and phylogenetic analysis of ''Dirofilaria ursi'' (Nematoda: Filarioidea) from Wisconsin black bears (''Ursus americanus'') and its ''Wolbachia'' endosymbiont.''Journal of Parasitology'', 96(2), 412-419. These are generally divided into two subgenera, ''

Dirofilaria ''Dirofilaria'' is a filarial (arthropod-borne) nematode (roundworm), in the family Onchocercidae. Some species cause dirofilariasis, a state of parasitic infection, in humans and other animals. There are about 27 species in the genus.Michalski, ...

'' and '' Nochtiella''. Some species are well-known

parasites Parasitism is a Symbiosis, close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives on or inside another organism, the Host (biology), host, causing it some harm, and is Adaptation, adapted structurally to this way of lif ...

, including ''

Dirofilaria immitis ''Dirofilaria immitis'', also known as heartworm or dog heartworm, is a parasitic roundworm that is a type of filarial worm, a small thread-like worm, that causes dirofilariasis. It is spread from host to host through the bites of mosquitoes ...

'', the dog heartworm, ''

Dirofilaria repens ''Dirofilaria repens'' is a filarial nematode that affects dogs and other carnivores such as cats, wolves, coyotes, foxes, and sea lions, as well as muskrats. It is transmitted by mosquitoes. Although humans may become infected as aberrant ho ...

'', which affects many types of nonhuman mammals, and ''

Dirofilaria tenuis ''Dirofilaria tenuis'' is a species of nematode, a parasitic roundworm that infects the subcutaneous tissue of vertebrates. ''D. tenuis'' most commonly infects raccoons, but some human cases have been reported. They are vectored by mosquitoes and ...

'', which usually parasitizes

raccoon The raccoon ( or , ''Procyon lotor''), sometimes called the common raccoon to distinguish it from other species, is a mammal native to North America. It is the largest of the procyonid family, having a body length of , and a body weight of ...

s, but can infect humans, as well. Human dirofilariasis is generally caused by ''D. immitis'' and ''D. repens''. The former can cause pulmonary dirofilariasis, which may have no symptoms. Another form of the infection can be characterized by a painful lump under the skin or infection of the eye. The nematodes are spread by

mosquito Mosquitoes (or mosquitos) are members of a group of almost 3,600 species of small flies within the family Culicidae (from the Latin ''culex'' meaning " gnat"). The word "mosquito" (formed by ''mosca'' and diminutive ''-ito'') is Spanish for "li ...

es.

Etymology

From Latin ''dīrus'' 'fearful; ominous' + ''fīlum'' 'thread', ''Dirofilaria'' is a genus of nematodes of the superfamily

Filarioidea The Filarioidea are a Taxonomic rank, superfamily of highly Generalist and specialist species, specialised Parasitism, parasitic nematodes. Species within this superfamily are known as filarial worms or filariae (singular filaria). Infections wit ...

. The first known description of ''Dirofilaria'' may have been by Italian nobleman

Francesco Birago Francesco, the Italian (and original) version of the personal name " Francis", is the most common given name among males in Italy. Notable persons with that name include: People with the given name Francesco * Francesco I (disambiguation), sev ...

in 1626 in his Treatise on Hunting: “The dog generates two worms, which are half an arm’s length long and thicker than a finger and red like fire.” Birago erroneously identified the worms as a larval stage of another parasite, ''

Dioctophyme renale ''Dioctophyme renale'', commonly referred to as the giant kidney worm, is a parasitic nematode (roundworm) whose mature form is found in the kidneys of mammals. ''D. renale'' is distributed worldwide, but is less common in Africa and Oceania. ...

''. The dog heartworm was named ''Filaria'' by American parasitologist

Joseph Leidy Joseph Mellick Leidy (September 9, 1823 – April 30, 1891) was an American paleontologist, parasitologist and anatomist. Leidy was professor of anatomy at the University of Pennsylvania, later was a professor of natural history at Swarthmore ...

in 1856, and the genus was renamed ''Dirofilaria'' by French parasitologists

Railliet Louis-Joseph Alcide Railliet (also known as Alcide Railliet, born 11 March 1852 at La Neuville-lès-Wasigny in the Ardennes – died 25 December 1930) was a French veterinarian and helminthologist. Professor at the Veterinary School of Alfort, ...

and Henry in 1911.

Taxonomy

Species in the genus include: *''

Dirofilaria acutiuscula ''Dirofilaria'' is a filarial (arthropod-borne) nematode (roundworm), in the family Onchocercidae. Some species cause dirofilariasis, a state of parasitic infection, in humans and other animals. There are about 27 species in the genus.Michalsk ...

'' *''

Dirofilaria aethiops ''Dirofilaria'' is a filarial (arthropod-borne) nematode (roundworm), in the family Onchocercidae. Some species cause dirofilariasis, a state of parasitic infection, in humans and other animals. There are about 27 species in the genus.Michalsk ...

'' *''

Dirofilaria ailure ''Dirofilaria'' is a filarial (arthropod-borne) nematode (roundworm), in the family Onchocercidae. Some species cause dirofilariasis, a state of parasitic infection, in humans and other animals. There are about 27 species in the genus.Michalsk ...

'' *''

Dirofilaria asymmetrica ''Dirofilaria'' is a filarial (arthropod-borne) nematode (roundworm), in the family Onchocercidae. Some species cause dirofilariasis, a state of parasitic infection, in humans and other animals. There are about 27 species in the genus.Michalsk ...

'' *''

Dirofilaria cancrivori ''Dirofilaria'' is a filarial (arthropod-borne) nematode (roundworm), in the family Onchocercidae. Some species cause dirofilariasis, a state of parasitic infection, in humans and other animals. There are about 27 species in the genus.Michalski, ...

'' *''

Dirofilaria conjunctivae ''Dirofilaria'' is a filarial (arthropod-borne) nematode (roundworm), in the family Onchocercidae. Some species cause dirofilariasis, a state of parasitic infection, in humans and other animals. There are about 27 species in the genus.Michalski, ...

'' *''

Dirofilaria corynodes ''Dirofilaria'' is a filarial (arthropod-borne) nematode (roundworm), in the family Onchocercidae. Some species cause dirofilariasis, a state of parasitic infection, in humans and other animals. There are about 27 species in the genus.Michalski, ...

'' *''

Dirofilaria desportesi ''Dirofilaria'' is a filarial (arthropod-borne) nematode (roundworm), in the family Onchocercidae. Some species cause dirofilariasis, a state of parasitic infection, in humans and other animals. There are about 27 species in the genus.Michalski, ...

'' *''

Dirofilaria fausti ''Dirofilaria'' is a filarial (arthropod-borne) nematode (roundworm), in the family Onchocercidae. Some species cause dirofilariasis, a state of parasitic infection, in humans and other animals. There are about 27 species in the genus.Michalski, ...

'' *''

Dirofilaria freitasi ''Dirofilaria'' is a filarial (arthropod-borne) nematode (roundworm), in the family Onchocercidae. Some species cause dirofilariasis, a state of parasitic infection, in humans and other animals. There are about 27 species in the genus.Michalski, ...

'' *''

Dirofilaria genettae ''Dirofilaria'' is a filarial (arthropod-borne) nematode (roundworm), in the family Onchocercidae. Some species cause dirofilariasis, a state of parasitic infection, in humans and other animals. There are about 27 species in the genus.Michalski, ...

'' *''

Dirofilaria hystrix ''Dirofilaria'' is a filarial (arthropod-borne) nematode (roundworm), in the family Onchocercidae. Some species cause dirofilariasis, a state of parasitic infection, in humans and other animals. There are about 27 species in the genus.Michalsk ...

'' *''

'' – dog heartworm *'' Dirofilaria indica'' *''

Dirofilaria louisianensis ''Dirofilaria'' is a filarial (arthropod-borne) nematode (roundworm), in the family Onchocercidae. Some species cause dirofilariasis, a state of parasitic infection, in humans and other animals. There are about 27 species in the genus.Michalski, ...

'' *'' Dirofilaria macacae'' *''

Dirofilaria macrodemos ''Dirofilaria'' is a filarial (arthropod-borne) nematode (roundworm), in the family Onchocercidae. Some species cause dirofilariasis, a state of parasitic infection, in humans and other animals. There are about 27 species in the genus.Michalski ...

'' *'' Dirofilaria magalhaesi'' *'' Dirofilaria magnilarvata'' *'' Dirofilaria pongoi'' *'' Dirofilaria reconditum'' *''

'' *''

Dirofilaria roemeri ''Dirofilaria'' is a filarial (arthropod-borne) nematode (roundworm), in the family Onchocercidae. Some species cause dirofilariasis, a state of parasitic infection, in humans and other animals. There are about 27 species in the genus.Michalski ...

'' *'' Dirofilaria tawila'' *''

'' *'' Dirofilaria timidi'' *'' Dirofilaria uniformis'' *''

Dirofilaria ursi ''Dirofilaria'' is a filarial (arthropod-borne) nematode (roundworm), in the family Onchocercidae. Some species cause dirofilariasis, a state of parasitic infection, in humans and other animals. There are about 27 species in the genus.Michalski, ...

References

''This article uses public domain text from the CDC as cited'' {{Taxonbar, from=Q1994726 Spirurida Secernentea genera