Dirofilaria immitis, the cause of heartworm infestation (HWI) or dirofilariasis, affects members of the Canidae and remains a worldwide clinical problem. In Iraq, dirofilariasis was believed absent until 2009, when the Karbala Governorate was reported as an endemic area for canine dirofilariasis. Consequently, this study intended to investigate the occurrence of Dirofilaria immitis in police dogs in one police academy in Iraq and to study the gross and histopathological changes in 5 dead dogs, as well as to identify the species of the causative parasite using PCR technique. Thirty-nine police dogs, aged between 6 months and 12 years were included in this study. For the microfilariae investigation, 5 ml blood samples were collected from all dogs in EDTA tubes and examined by Knott’s method. The systemic necropsy performed in five dead dogs showed severe clinical signs of dirofilariasis and tissue specimens were sent for routine histopathological processing. For the molecular analysis, adult worms of the detected Dirofilaria spp. were used for DNA extraction andamplification of the cox1 gene. Fifteen of 39 (38.46%) dogs were diagnosed with moderate to severe microfilariasis. The dead dogs revealed typical severe clinical signs of dirofilariasis. Moreover, typical gross and histopathological changes were also seen, accompanied by generalized thromboembolic lesions, suggesting the occurrence of the caval syndrome. The PCR investigation confirmed that D. immitis was the species present in Iraq. In conclusion, this study establishes that Iraq is a newly reported endemic area for dirofilariasis. Moreover, the infestation occurring in these cases most probably happened inside Iraq. The authors recommend doing further epidemiological studies concerning the occurrence of D. immitis in local dogs as well as in the imported dogs in all Iraqi governorates to better understand the epidemiological map of this disease and to introduce an active treatment and preventive program. Awareness and education regarding this disease should be provided to the veterinarians, dog guiders and people in direct contact with dogs, as this disease is one of the important zoonotic diseases.

Akabane virus, a member of the Orthobunyavirus genus in the family Bunyaviridae, causes congenital abnormalities and arthrogryposis with hydrocephalus or hydroencephaly in ruminants. Tis study intends to describe the clinical signs, gross and histopathological features seen in 25 afected lambs in an outbreak of congenital arthrogryposis with hydrocephalus or hydranencephaly in Al-Muthanna governorate, Iraq afer a large number of stillbirths and musculoskeletal deformities from October 2017 to May 2018. Skeletal muscle hypoplasia was seen in the limbs of the afected lambs accompanied with severe arthrogryposis and gross visible brain malformations. In addition, fetal mummifcations, stillbirths, and dead lambs were also seen. Te most histopathological features in muscle fbers were degenerative lesions and absences of cross-striation accompanied with mild infltration of neutrophils and mononuclear cells in severely afected lambs. Te meninges of afected lambs revealed fused membranes with focal areas of fbrous thickenings and necrotic debris. In conclusion, according to clinical signs, gross and histopathological investigations, Akabane virus, a member of the Orthobunyavirus genus in the family Bunyaviridae, causes congenital abnormalities and arthrogryposis with hydrocephalus or hydroencephaly in ruminants and could be the cause of this outbreak, although future studies must be performed to confrm the etiology of this outbreak. Moreover, other causes of hydrocephalus or cerebellar malformation, such as Schmallenberg virus, bluetongue virus and border disease virus and teratogenic plants that lead to arthrogryposis, have to be investigated. Also, the authorities should take prevention and control measurements to stop the replication of arthropod vectors.