Epidemiology of Toxocara canis in the dog population from two areas of different socioeconomic status,Greater Buenos Aires,Argentina

Toxocara canis infection in dogs is a public health problem in most countries, although it has been poorly documented in many of them. The main objective of the present work was to investigate the epidemiology of infection in the canine populations from two areas of Buenos Aires of different socioeconomic status and urban conditions: a middle-income neighbourhood (MIN) and a low-income neighbourhood (LIN). This study evaluated the prevalence of infection in dogs by parasitological and serological techniques in both areas, and described the relationship between the infection and different epidemiological variables for each neighbourhood. A cross-sectional study was carried out after a house-to-house census was completed. During August 1999, a sample of households was selected at random (nMIN=53 and nPA=52). In each house, one dog was randomly chosen for the collection of fresh faeces and blood. The dog owners were interviewed utilising a questionnaire about dogs on sex, recent anthelmintic treatment, degree of confinement, control by the dog's owner (whether the dog goes out of the house accompanied or not, leashed or unleashed), defecation site, defecation substratum and number of dogs in the house. The diagnostic techniques were concentration-sedimentation formalin/ether method and ELISA test. The parasitological prevalences in dogs were 9% (5/53) in MIN and 19% (10/52) in LIN, and serological prevalences were 22% (2/9) in MIN and 40% (15/37) in LIN. In MIN, the patent infection of males was significantly higher than that of females. In LIN, puppies less than 1 year old were the most prevalent age class. Our serological results showed that the positivity of adult dogs was more frequent in LIN than in MIN. The density of puppies with patent infection was seven times higher in LIN than in MIN, when combining coprological analysis and the estimated age structure obtained by the census.     

Gastrointestinal parasites of shepherd and hunting dogs in the Serres Prefecture, Northern Greece

A total of 281 faecal samples from owned shepherd and hunting dogs were collected in the Serres Prefecture, Northern Greece and were examined for the presence of intestinal parasites. The overall prevalence of parasitism was 26% and the 11 species found were: Toxocara canis (12.8%), Trichuris vulpis (9.6%), Giardia spp. (4.3%), Isospora (Cystoisospora) spp. (3.9%), Ancylostoma/Uncinaria spp. (2.8%), Cryptosporidium spp. (2.8%), Alaria alata (2.5%), Strongyloides stercoralis (1.8%), Angiostrongylus vasorum (1.1%), Toxascaris leonina (0.7%) and Dipylidium caninum (0.3%). The prevalence of T. canis and Isospora (Cystoisospora) spp. was significantly higher in young than in adult dogs (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in prevalence between genders, except for T. canis, which was more common in male dogs (p < 0.05).     

采用Mini-Flotac和PCR方法检测圈养野生动物肠道寄生虫

为调查福建地区圈养野生动物肠道寄生虫感染情况,本研究采集福州动物园和龙岩梅花山华南虎繁育研究所动物粪便样品共70份(包含28种动物种类),采用Mini-Flotac检测方法对粪便样品进行饱和盐水漂浮法检测,同时采用基于SSU rRNA序列的PCR扩增方法对粪便样品进行芽囊原虫检测,并对获得的阳性分离株进行基因亚型分析。Mini-Flotac检测结果显示,70份样品中寄生虫阳性粪便为42份,总感染率为60.00%,感染强度(EPG或OPG值)范围为100~34 800。PCR扩增结果显示,70份样品中共检测到芽囊原虫阳性分离株10个,感染率为14.3%(10/70),阳性样品分别为猕猴、赤猴、孔雀粪便样品各1份以及梅花鹿源样品7份;进一步的基因亚型分析结果显示,扩增的10份芽囊原虫阳性样品来源于5个基因亚型,分别为ST1(1)、ST3(1)、ST6(1)、ST10(6)及ST14(1),其中ST1、ST3和ST6为人兽共患亚型,ST10和ST14为动物特异性亚型,且ST10在梅花鹿中感染普遍。研究结果提示福建圈养野生动物肠道寄生虫的感染情况较严重,且存在人兽共患基因亚型芽囊原虫风险。研究结果为福建野生动物肠道寄生虫病的防治提供了参考依据。     

An epidemiological study of gastrointestinal parasites of dogs from Southern Greater Buenos Aires (Argentina): age, gender, breed, mixed infections, and seasonal and spatial patterns

A total of 2193 fecal samples from owned dogs were collected during the 2003-2004 period in Southern Greater Buenos Aires, and were evaluated for the presence of intestinal parasites by a flotation-centrifugation method. The overall prevalence was 52.4%, and the 11 species found were: Ancylostoma caninum (13%), Isospora ohioensis complex (12%), Toxocara canis (11%), Trichuris vulpis (10%), Sarcocystis sp. (10%), Giardia duodenalis (9%), Isospora canis (3%), Hammondia-Neospora complex (3%), Dipilydium caninum (18 cases), Cryptosporidium sp. (5 cases), and Toxascaris leonina (1 case). There was no significant difference in the overall prevalence between genders (female = 50.4%, male = 54.6%), and breeds (pure = 52.3%, mixed = 53%), but prevalence in puppies (<1 year) was higher than in adult dogs (62.7% versus 40.8%, respectively). Only the prevalence of A. caninum differed between genders, with higher values for males. The prevalences of six of the parasite species showed a decreasing trend with increasing host age, and an inverse pattern was found for two other species. The prevalences of three protozoa were significantly higher in pure-breed dogs, and those of two nematodes were significantly higher in mixed-breed dogs. The prevalences of T. canis, A. caninum, and T. vulpis were spatially heterogeneous with a clear Southwest-Northeast gradient. Only prevalences of Sarcocystis sp. and G. duodenalis showed seasonal variation. The frequency distribution of the number of species per fecal sample did not differ from a random distribution. Results obtained throughout the world were discussed.