[Dailydrool] The History of Heartworms

[Laura Tancredi]

>From the American Heartworm Society webpage: 
"History
The first published description of heartworm in dogs in the United States appeared more than 100 years ago in an issue of "The Western Journal of Medicine and Surgery."1 Heartworm in cats was first described in the early 1920's.2, 3

Since then, naturally acquired heartworm infection in cats and dogs is identified as a worldwide clinical problem. Despite improved diagnostic methods, effective preventives and increasing awareness among veterinary professionals and pet owners, cases of heartworm infection continue to appear in pets around the world.

1 Osborne, TC. Worms found in the Heart and Bloodvessels of a Dog; Symptoms of Hydrophobia. The Western Journal of Medicine and Surgery, 1847.
2 Riley, WA. Dirofilaria immitis in the heart of a cat. J Parasitol 1922;9:48
3 Travassos, LP. Notas Helminthologicas. Brazil-Med. An. 1921;35 2(6):67"

As for the first heartworm it is rumored that he was from a broken home in the midwest where he roamed from town to town breaking young girls' hearts.  A gunslinger by trade he was frequently wanted by the local sheriff's and was intercepted at a railroad station just prior to a suppected train robbery he had planned.  Thus the medication to prevent heartworm is called Interceptor.  

Well really just like everything else in nature it probably developed by evolution from a previous but similar organism.  Although they weren't first noted until 1847 they may have been in existence but no one was interested in such things as veterinary medicine or what was in a dog's heart after it died.  

Veterinary medicine (and largely all medicine) was pretty scary until the 1920's or 30's when more research was actually done.  So the heartworm or something very similar to it could have been infecting animals for even longer. 

Laura
Flash 
and Ryu