THE Guardsman Group is partnering with The University of the West Indies (The UWI), Mona in its research on Dirofilaria immitis, commonly known as dog heartworm.

The security company on Tuesday made a special donation to the university for funding of the research, under the ‘One Health’ theme.

This parasitic nematode, which is transmitted by infected mosquitoes, poses a significant threat not only to dogs but also carries a risk to human health.

According to research data, Jamaica faces a concerning dog heartworm prevalence rate of 18.7 per cent.

Recognising the interconnectedness of animal, human, and environmental health, UWI Professor John Lindo emphasised the core principle of the One Health concept, stating, “The health of animals and humans is linked, and you cannot approach one without the other”.

He also highlighted the significant impact of the special donation from the Guardsman Group, a long-time partner of the university, explaining that it “will propel the research studies to another level”.

The UWI’s Dr Simone Sandiford, meanwhile, outlined the research’s progression, noting that preliminary findings were based on antigen testing of 1,000 dog blood samples collected across various parishes.

Dr Sandiford highlighted the funding’s importance in covering the expenses of advanced molecular testing and in evaluating the accuracy of the initial antigen tests in detecting the infection, adding that “the gift from Guardsman will also assist in seeing how good the antigen test will work in ‘picking up’ this infection.

“Molecular testing is the gold standard and that is what we will be doing using the funding from Guardsman”.

She explained that the support from the Guardsman Group will also enable a vital comparative analysis to “assess how well our test worked in Jamaica by comparing the antigen testing results with those from the molecular test”.

The financial backing will facilitate the assessment of the prophylaxis treatment’s effectiveness in the heartworm control efforts by determining if the parasites locally possess any genetic markers indicating resistance to commonly used preventative medications.

Kenneth Benjamin, executive chairman of the Guardsman Group, who is also chair of the Jamaica Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Hope Zoo, expressed his strong connection to the initiative as a lover of dogs and trees.

“When we have fewer dogs that can be infected the whole country will benefit.

“We are the link towards dogs, and if they are going to die earlier than they are supposed to, then I am all in for this research, although my dogs are 100 per cent not infected by the parasite,”said Benjamin.