A large population of stray cats is encountered in many urban areas sharing the same environment with people, usually being in a close direct contact with them. A variety of ectoparasites can infest such cats, causing mild dermatological abnormalities to more severe systemic disorders. In order to determine the extent of which stray cats carry ectoparasites, particularly those of zoonotic potential, 341 stray cats originating from the urban area of Thessaloniki, Greece, were examined between 2012 and 2014. The signalment of each cat such as gender, hair length, and roughly estimated age were recorded. From a total of 341 examined stray cats, 127 (37.24%; 95% confidence interval (CI) 32.14-42.64) were infested with at least one of the following ectoparasites: mites-Otodectes cynotis (15.8%), Notoedres cati (2.35%), Cheyletiella blakei (2.05%); fleas-Ctenocephalides felis (24.3%); ticks-Rhipicephalus sanguineus (0.88%); and lice-Felicola subrostratus (0.59%). A significantly higher prevalence of ectoparasites was observed in long-haired individuals (p < 0.00001). The above ectoparasites may either cause or transmit diseases not only in cats but also in humans Therefore, antiparasitic control should be included in stray cat neutering campaigns while public health education for taking preventive measures will decrease the risk of transmission to humans.

73 SummaryTo get an overview on the prevalence of intestinal helminths, between 2010 and 2012, fecal samples from 215 stray cats from area of Thessaloniki, Greece, were tested by coprological methods. From the total number of fecal samples examined, 55.8 % were infected with at least one intestinal parasite and 16.3 % had co-infection. Five different parasite species were found. The most prevalent helminth was Dipylidium caninum (39.53 %), followed by Toxocara cati (18.14 %), Ancylostoma spp. (11.63 %), Taenia taeniaeformis (8.37 %) and Toxascaris leonina (0.93 %). The results showed that A. tubaeforme and T. taeniaeformis were more prevalent in males, while D. caninum, T. cati and T. leonina in female cats, without statistical significance. The prevalence of Ancylostoma spp. and T. cati were significantly higher in young cats (< 1 year old) than in adults (> 1 year old). The most common association was between D. caninum and T. cati.

Despite the importance of N. caninum in veterinary medicine, knowledge on the prevalence of this parasitosis in dogs is limited in some countries. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of N. caninum infection in stray dogs in Chalkidiki, Northern Greece. This prospective study was conducted between January 2018 and December 2019 in stray dogs aged ≥6 months old. Blood samples were collected by venipuncture before the female and male dogs underwent the spay and castration procedures, respectively. The indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to screen dogs for the presence of IgG antibodies against N. caninum. Of 511 dogs included in this study, 39 (7.63%) were positive for IgG antibodies against N. caninum. Of all the dogs, 221 were males and 290 females, with positive results for IgG antibodies found in 16 (7.24%) males and 23 (7.93%) females. Preventive measures should be developed and implemented to break the domestic cycle between dogs and bovine. We want to highlight the importance of regional reporting of N. caninum infection prevalence in dogs and control measures by veterinarians and veterinary authorities to farmers and public, in order to avoid this disease’s spread.

No abstract