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International Journal For Parasitology.... Aug 2024Our knowledge of parasites in wildlife remains limited, primarily due to restricted access to samples, especially of parasites from protected species. This present study...
Our knowledge of parasites in wildlife remains limited, primarily due to restricted access to samples, especially of parasites from protected species. This present study contributes to the comprehension of the enigmatic world of helminths of African wild mammals and cestode biodiversity by combining both molecular and morphological analysis. Cestode samples were opportunistically collected from 77 individual definitive hosts in South Africa, Namibia and Ethiopia, encompassing 15 different species of wild African carnivores and additionally domestic cats. The analysis revealed 32 different cyclophyllidean species of which 21 (65.6 %) represent previously unknown genetic entities. They belong to the families Mesocestoididae, Hymenolepididae, Dipylidiidae and Taeniidae. Here we cover the non-taeniid cestodes, while the taeniids will be addressed in a separate publication. Three of the non-taeniid species uncovered in this study could be assigned to the genus and were isolated from servals and domestic cats. The white-tailed mongoose was found to be a suitable host for a species belonging to the Hymenolepididae, which was identified as cf. . Both feline and canine genotypes of were detected in domestic cats, the canine genotype also in an African wolf. In addition to these, a novel species of was discovered in an aardwolf. Lastly, four distinct species of were found in this study, revealing a cryptic species complex and emphasizing the need for a taxonomic reassessment of this genus. Despite the limited scope of our study in terms of geography and sample size, the results highlight that biodiversity of cestodes in African wild mammals is grossly under-researched and follow-up studies are urgently required, in particular linking morphology to gene sequences.
PubMed: 38601058
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2024.100929 -
Parasitology Apr 2024is a common tapeworm of dogs. Two cases of praziquantel resistance have been described in in the United States. No further reports have been published to the...
is a common tapeworm of dogs. Two cases of praziquantel resistance have been described in in the United States. No further reports have been published to the authors’ knowledge. Here, the case of a dog imported to Switzerland from Spain with a history of chronic excretion of tapeworm proglottids and unresponsiveness to praziquantel treatments is reported. Clinical signs were mild (restlessness, tenesmus, anal pruritus, squashy feces) and flea infestation could be ruled out. Infection with was confirmed through morphological and genetic parasite identification. Different subsequently applied anthelmintic compounds and protocols, including epsiprantel, did not confer the desired effects. Proglottid shedding only stopped after oral mebendazole administration of 86.2 mg kg body weight for 5 consecutive days. Clinical signs resolved and the dog remained coproscopically negative during a follow-up period of 10 months after the last treatment. This case represents the first reported apparent praziquantel and epsiprantel resistance in in Europe. Treatment was extremely challenging especially due to the limited availability of efficacious alternative compounds.
Topics: Animals; Praziquantel; Dogs; Dog Diseases; Drug Resistance; Anthelmintics; Cestode Infections; Switzerland; Cestoda; Spain; Feces; Male
PubMed: 38571299
DOI: 10.1017/S0031182024000398 -
Veterinary Medicine and Science May 2024Cats in Iran are definitive hosts for several zoonotic intestinal helminths, such as Toxocara cati, Dipylidium caninum, Toxascaris leonina, Physaloptera praeputialis and...
BACKGROUND
Cats in Iran are definitive hosts for several zoonotic intestinal helminths, such as Toxocara cati, Dipylidium caninum, Toxascaris leonina, Physaloptera praeputialis and Diplopylidium nolleri.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to determine the prevalence of intestinal helminth infection in free-roaming cats in southeast Iran, a region with a high free-roaming cat population.
METHODS
From January 2018 to December 2021, 153 cadavers of free-roaming cats from Southeast Iran were necropsied for intestinal helminth infections. The carcasses were dissected, and the digestive systems were removed. The esophagus, stomach, small intestine, caecum and colon were tightly ligated. All adult helminths were collected, preserved and identified.
RESULTS
The prevalence of gastrointestinal helminth infections was 80.39% (123/153). Of the cats from Kerman, 73% (73/100) were infected with at least one helminth, including D. caninum 70% (70/100), T. leonina 8% (8/100) and P. praeputialis 17% (17/100). Concurrent infection with two helminth species was found in 16% (16/100) and of three species infections was found in 3% (3/100) of the cats. Of the cats from Zabol, 94.33% (50/53) were infected with at least one of the helminths, including D. caninum 69.81% (37/53), T. leonina 11.32% (6/53), P. praeputialis 37.73% (20/53) and T. cati 5.66% (3/53). Concurrent infection with two helminth species was found in 28.3% (15/53), and three species were found in 1.88% (1/53) of the cats. Helminth infections were more prevalent in older cats. There was no association between sex and infection rate.
CONCLUSION
Based on the very high prevalence of zoonotic intestinal helminth infections in free-roaming cats in southeast Iran, the potential public health risk emphasizes the need for intersectoral collaboration, particularly the provision of health and hygiene education to high-risk populations, such as pre-school and school-age children.
Topics: Animals; Cats; Iran; Helminthiasis, Animal; Helminths; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic; Gastrointestinal Diseases; Cadaver; Cat Diseases; Helminthiasis
PubMed: 38504628
DOI: 10.1002/vms3.1422 -
Parasitology Research Mar 2024Dog faecal samples examined from January 2019 to December 2019 were retrospectively analysed for frequency of endoparasites. The examinations were performed with several...
Dog faecal samples examined from January 2019 to December 2019 were retrospectively analysed for frequency of endoparasites. The examinations were performed with several different methods: 29,219 samples were examined by flotation method and sodium acetate-acetic acid-formalin concentration (SAFC) technique, 1,330 samples by Baermann-Wetzel migration technique, 12,221 samples using a Giardia coproantigen enzyme-linked-immunosorbent assay (ELISA), 1,180 samples using a Cryptosporidium coproantigen ELISA, 1,671 samples by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for Giardia duodenalis and 447 samples by PCR testing for Cryptosporidium spp.. A total of 7.1% of the samples were positive for parasites in the microscopical examination using the flotation method and SAFC technique. The parasites found included Cystoisospora spp. (2.8%), Giardia duodenalis (2.3%), Ancylostomatidae (1.8%), Toxocara canis (1.6%), Trichuris vulpis (0.7%), Toxascaris leonina (0.5%), Capillaria spp. (0.2%), Angiostrongylus vasorum (0.2%), Crenosoma vulpis (0.1%), Taeniidae (0.1%), Sarcocystis spp. (0.03%), Dipylidium caninum (0.01%), Diphyllobothrium latum (< 0.01%), Spirurida (< 0.01%) and Opisthorchiidae (< 0.01%). Using the Baermann-Wetzel migration technique, Angiostrongylus vasorum was found in 0.75% and Crenosoma vulpis in 0.3% of the samples. ELISAs for Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. revealed 13.9% and 1.0% positive faecal samples, and Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. PCRs 19.4% and 2.0%, respectively. Dogs in the first year of life were more frequently infected with parasites than older animals. In the microscopic examination using flotation method and SAFC technique, the significantly highest detection rates were found in dogs up to six months of age (p < 0.001).
Topics: Dogs; Animals; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic; Cryptosporidiosis; Retrospective Studies; Cryptosporidium; Dog Diseases; Prevalence; Parasites; Giardia lamblia; Germany; Feces; Angiostrongylus
PubMed: 38480554
DOI: 10.1007/s00436-024-08181-6 -
International Journal of Environmental... Jan 2024Zoonotic parasitic diseases in dogs are particularly concerning in regions with low human development indices due to inadequate sanitary services and insufficient...
Zoonotic parasitic diseases in dogs are particularly concerning in regions with low human development indices due to inadequate sanitary services and insufficient environmental and health education. This study aimed to assess the parasitological status of dogs living in households and evaluate their owners' knowledge about zoonoses. A total of 183 dogs from Rolim de Moura, Rondônia State, were screened for the presence of ectoparasites, and 163 fecal samples were collected for analysis. The results showed that 74.23% (112/163) of the animals had at least one species of endoparasite. The most identified pathogens were spp. (68.71%, 112/163), (11.66%, 19/163), (6.75%, 11/163), (4.91%, 8/163), (1.23%, 2/163), and (0.61%, 1/163). Ectoparasites were observed in 43.17% (79/183) of the evaluated animals, with found in 31.15% (57/183) and in 20.77% (38/183). Only 11.48% (7/61) of the owners were familiar with the term "Zoonoses." However, a significant majority (83.61%, 51/61) believed that dogs can transmit diseases to humans. Our findings highlight the prevalence of parasites in the studied area and associated risk factors, underscoring the urgent need for educational interventions to raise awareness about these diseases and their risks to human health.
Topics: Humans; Animals; Dogs; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic; Zoonoses; Parasites; Ecosystem; Feces; Prevalence; Dog Diseases; Perception
PubMed: 38397629
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21020138 -
Parasites & Vectors Jan 2024The cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis), a parasite commonly found on both dogs and cats, is a competent vector for several zoonotic pathogens, including Dipylidium caninum...
BACKGROUND
The cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis), a parasite commonly found on both dogs and cats, is a competent vector for several zoonotic pathogens, including Dipylidium caninum (tapeworms), Bartonella henselae (responsible for cat scratch disease) and Rickettsia felis (responsible for flea-borne spotted fever). Veterinarians recommend that both cats and dogs be routinely treated with medications to prevent flea infestation. Nevertheless, surveys suggest that nearly one third of pet owners do not routinely administer appropriate preventatives.
METHODS
A mathematical model based on weighted averaging over time is developed to predict outdoor flea activity from weather conditions for the contiguous United States. This 'nowcast' model can be updated in real time as weather conditions change and serves as an important tool for educating pet owners about the risks of flea-borne disease. We validate our model using Google Trends data for searches for the term 'fleas.' This Google Trends data serve as a proxy for true flea activity, as validating the model by collecting fleas over the entire USA is prohibitively costly and time-consuming.
RESULTS
The average correlation (r) between the nowcast outdoor flea activity predictions and the Google Trends data was moderate: 0.65, 0.70, 0.66, 0.71 and 0.63 for 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, respectively. However, there was substantial regional variation in performance, with the average correlation in the East South Atlantic states being 0.81 while the average correlation in the Mountain states was only 0.45. The nowcast predictions displayed strong seasonal and geographic patterns, with predicted activity generally being highest in the summer months.
CONCLUSIONS
The nowcast model is a valuable tool by which to educate pet owners regarding the risk of fleas and flea-borne disease and the need to routinely administer flea preventatives. While it is ideal for domestic cats and dogs to on flea preventatives year-round, many pets remain vulnerable to flea infestation. Alerting pet owners to the local increased risk of flea activity during certain times of the year may motivate them to administer appropriate routine preventives.
Topics: Animals; Cats; Dogs; Siphonaptera; Cat Diseases; Dog Diseases; Flea Infestations; Ctenocephalides
PubMed: 38254213
DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-06112-5 -
Occurrence of and other gastrointestinal parasites in free-roaming cats from the Rio de Janeiro zoo.Brazilian Journal of Veterinary Medicine 2023This communication aimed to determine the frequency of infection by and other gastrointestinal parasites in free-living cats captured in BioParque do Rio (Fundação...
This communication aimed to determine the frequency of infection by and other gastrointestinal parasites in free-living cats captured in BioParque do Rio (Fundação RioZoo), Brazil. To this end, 58 blood and 51 fecal samples were collected from 68 cats from July 2019 to September 2020. The serum obtained was analyzed by indirect fluorescent antibody test for anti- IgG. Fecal samples were examined by microscopic parasitological techniques. Of the total, 10.3% of the animals presented anti- IgG. Parasitic structures were observed in 39.2% of the fecal samples. Hookworms were the most detected parasites (19.6%) followed by sp. (11.7%), (7.8%) and (3.9%). These results indicated the exposure of this population of stray cats to potentially zoonotic parasites, which in addition to causing possible damage to domestic and wild animal health, also pose risks to public health.
PubMed: 38149031
DOI: 10.29374/2527-2179.bjvm006023 -
Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia... 2023The coproparasitological examination of dogs (n=278) from two Brazilian biomes (Amazon [AZ] and Atlantic Forest [AF]) by centrifugal flotation demonstrated positivity...
Diversity of helminths with zoonotic potential and molecular characterization of Toxocara canis infecting domestic dogs from locations of Amazon and Atlantic Forest Brazilian biomes.
The coproparasitological examination of dogs (n=278) from two Brazilian biomes (Amazon [AZ] and Atlantic Forest [AF]) by centrifugal flotation demonstrated positivity values of 54.2% (AF) and 48.5% (AZ). The most prevalent parasites in AF were hookworms (81.0% - 47/58), Toxocara sp. (17.3% - 10/58) and Trichuris vulpis (12.1% - 7/58); while in AZ they were hookworms (86.7% - 72/83), Toxocara sp. (18.1% - 15/83), Dipylidium caninum (13.3% - 11/83) and T. vulpis (10.8% - 9/83). PCR was performed using the partial mitochondrial genes cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (pcox1) and NADH dehydrogenase 1 (pnad1) in 25 fecal samples positive for Toxocara sp. eggs and found one sample positive for pcox1 and six positives for pnad1. The sequencing of these samples was unsuccessful due to the difficulties inherent in copro-PCR+sequencing. The sequencing of 14 samples of T. canis adult helminths retrieved 11 sequences of 414 bp for pcox1 and nine sequences of 358 bp for pnad1. The phylogenetic trees of these sequences confirmed the species T. canis. Intraspecific genetic variation was only observed for pnad1. This is the second study involving molecular analysis of T. canis in dogs from Brazil and adds new information through the use of pnad1.
Topics: Animals; Dogs; Toxocara canis; Brazil; Phylogeny; Helminths; Ecosystem; Forests; Dog Diseases; Feces; Prevalence
PubMed: 38055439
DOI: 10.1590/S1984-29612023078 -
Veterinary Parasitology Dec 2023Intestinal parasites, including cestodes like Dipylidium caninum, are common in dogs in the United States of America (USA), but fecal flotation consistently, and, at...
Intestinal parasites, including cestodes like Dipylidium caninum, are common in dogs in the United States of America (USA), but fecal flotation consistently, and, at times, dramatically, fails to identify many of these infections. To determine the extent to which including coproantigen testing for D. caninum would improve the identification of dogs infected with this cestode, we evaluated fecal samples from 877 dogs (589 pet and 288 from municipal shelters) from six USA states using zinc sulfate (specific gravity 1.24) fecal flotation with centrifugation along with coproantigen detection for Giardia sp., hookworms, ascarids, and Trichuris vulpis. For D. caninum, PCR of perianal swabs was included. Intestinal parasite infections were identified, using centrifugal fecal flotation or coproantigen, in 265 dogs (13.2 % pet, 64.9 % shelter). Dipylidium caninum infection was detected in 5.6 % of dogs with the combination of coproantigen and centrifugal fecal flotation, and 7.3 % of dogs when perianal swab results were included; prevalence varied by diagnostic method, population, and geographic region. In pet dogs, D. caninum infection was identified by fecal flotation (0), coproantigen (2.2 %), or perianal swabs (1.2 %). The same methods revealed infection in 0.3 %, 12.5 %, and 11.1 % of shelter dogs, respectively. Frequent use of praziquantel in shelter dogs (116/288; 40.3 %) may have reduced prevalence. Positive and negative agreement of D. caninum coproantigen with perianal swab PCR in pet dogs was 85.7 % and 98.8 %, respectively. Multiple logistic regression analysis accounting for region, population, and age found D. caninum infection to be more common in shelter dogs relative to pet (adjusted OR 4.91 [2.48, 10.24]) and in the Southcentral and Southeast regions relative to North (adjusted OR 9.59 [1.92, 174.13] and 17.69 [3.67, 318.09] respectively). Coproantigen testing also enhanced the detection of other intestinal parasites over fecal flotation alone, including Giardia sp. (14.7 % vs 3.3 %), hookworms (13.8 % vs 8.4 %), ascarids (2.9 % vs 2.2 %), and T. vulpis (2.9 % vs 1.4 %). Together, these data indicate that the coproantigen assay employed increases detection of D. caninum infections several fold, supporting the use of this test in clinical practice, and add to a growing body of research documenting enhanced diagnosis through implementation of multiple laboratory-based methods.
Topics: Animals; Dogs; Parasites; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic; Cestode Infections; Trichuris; Giardia; Feces; Prevalence; Dog Diseases
PubMed: 37976897
DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2023.110073 -
Turkiye Parazitolojii Dergisi Sep 2023Cats have an important and different place due to their close relationships with humans. Since most of the parasites they carry are zoonotic, it is important to detect... (Review)
Review
Cats have an important and different place due to their close relationships with humans. Since most of the parasites they carry are zoonotic, it is important to detect them. According to the research, spp., spp., spp., and sp. were found to be higher in cats compared to other parasites. It has been determined that scabies and flea infestations are common as ectoparasites. This review aims to present the reported parasites and their prevalence rates in cats in Türkiye.
Topics: Humans; Cats; Animals; Parasites; Flea Infestations; Scabies; Toxoplasma; Toxocara
PubMed: 37724370
DOI: 10.4274/tpd.galenos.2023.85698