D. immitis

• Dirofilaria immitis is the heartworm of dogs
• Transmitted by mosquitoes
• Latest data shows an incidence rate of 20% among client-owned dogs from the Greater Metropolitan Manila
• Pulmonary dirofilariasis is a human infection that involves the lungs
• Diagnosis involves finding distinctive coin lesions on chest X-rays
• Species that produce subcutaneous nodules are diagnosed by finding adult worms in biopsy specimens of these nodules
• Morphologic features of the cuticle, musculature, and lateral chords are important criteria for identifying Dirofilaria