Heartworm in Humans: Risks, Symptoms & Prevention

Heartworm disease is a debilitating disease that is spread by mosquitoes and is most commonly found in dogs and cats. While humans can contract heartworm, it is rare and not usually threatening.

History

• While uncommon, heartworm disease in humans has been reported. Unlike heartworm in dogs, when humans contract heartworm, it is not life threatening, because humans are not good hosts for heartworms.

Transmission

• Heartworm is transmitted by mosquitoes. Even if your dog has heartworms, you cannot get it from your dog, only from an infected mosquito.

Considerations

• In the rare cases of human heartworm disease, it has shown up on an X-ray in the lungs or the heart and is often misdiagnosed as cancer or a cyst.

Prevention/Solution

• Controlling mosquito populations can reduce the numbers of heartworm cases in dogs, cats and even humans.

Potential

• Other worms that infect dogs and cats are much more likely to be transmitted to humans, and children are the most susceptible. These include hookworms, roundworms and whipworms.