Developing a Test to Detect Heartworm in Mosquitoes
Presentation Type
Poster
Full Name of Faculty Mentor
Paul E. Richardson, Chemistry
Major
Biochemistry
Presentation Abstract
Mosquitos are known to spread numerous diseases throughout communities, including Dirofilaria immitis, better known as heartworm. In 2019, The American Heartworm Society reported that South Carolina ranked as the third highest state for heartworm incidents with 5.7% of all dogs tested having heartworm. Primers found in literature, were used to target unique sequences in the cytochrome c oxidase (COI) gene and the mitochondrially encoded 12S ribosomal RNA (12S) gene will be used to detect heartworm in mosquitoes. The primers were verified using an NCBI blast search. Over this past year, our goal has been to develop a PCR test to detect the presence of heartworm in mosquitos. Developing this test can be a valuable asset for proper health protection in our community by monitoring its presence in the area, as heartworm can be potentially fatal to a variety of animals. If successful, this test has the potential to revolutionize the preventative measures against heartworm in animals, as well as better alert the community to a potential threat of heartworm.
Start Date
12-4-2023 4:00 PM
End Date
12-4-2023 6:00 PM
Disciplines
Biochemistry
Recommended Citation
Weissmeier, Emma, "Developing a Test to Detect Heartworm in Mosquitoes" (2023). Undergraduate Research Competition. 74.
https://digitalcommons.coastal.edu/ugrc/2023/fullconference/74
Developing a Test to Detect Heartworm in Mosquitoes
Mosquitos are known to spread numerous diseases throughout communities, including Dirofilaria immitis, better known as heartworm. In 2019, The American Heartworm Society reported that South Carolina ranked as the third highest state for heartworm incidents with 5.7% of all dogs tested having heartworm. Primers found in literature, were used to target unique sequences in the cytochrome c oxidase (COI) gene and the mitochondrially encoded 12S ribosomal RNA (12S) gene will be used to detect heartworm in mosquitoes. The primers were verified using an NCBI blast search. Over this past year, our goal has been to develop a PCR test to detect the presence of heartworm in mosquitos. Developing this test can be a valuable asset for proper health protection in our community by monitoring its presence in the area, as heartworm can be potentially fatal to a variety of animals. If successful, this test has the potential to revolutionize the preventative measures against heartworm in animals, as well as better alert the community to a potential threat of heartworm.