Filarial nematode infections represent a tremendous burden for both animal and human medicine. Millions are infected and billions live in endemic regions. Molecular techniques offer a novel approach to understanding these infections and the agents of infection. In the first experiment the generation of biomarkers is addressed by characterizing the secretome of Dirofilaria immitis, the dog heartworm. This experiment revealed 110 proteins secreted by the organism. Of those 110, 52 were unique to D. immitis while the remainder was shared among the other nematode species for which secretomes have been compiled. In the second experiment molecular markers were applied to Onchocerca volvulus nodules to describe the health of the worm specifically. Those data showed a statistically significant difference in the staining intensity between ivermectin treated and untreated worms. -- Abstract.
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