No abstract

The aim of our study was to establish the prevalence of dirofilariosis and intestinal helminthosis in dogs, in a rural region of Gabon, situated 500 km to the east of Libreville. The survey comprised the collection of blood and faecal samples in 2003 followed by their analysis in the Parasitology Laboratory at the Ecole nationale vétérinaire (National School of Veterinary Medicine) in Lyon, France. MATERIALS AND METHODSOur study focused on a population of semi-stray dogs living in 16 areas of Ogooué-Ivindo, a northeastern region of Gabon. The climate in this zone is typically equatorial with a dry season between midJune and mid-August. The cumulative annual rainfall is approximately 1 700 mm. A survey of helminth parasites was carried out on 198 dogs living in almost complete liberty in villages in the northeast of Gabon. Faeces and blood samples were collected and analysed. Dirofilaria immitis antigen was detected in 13.6 % of dogs using the SNAP 3Dx® test, a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Faecal examination revealed that 91.4 % of dogs were infected by intestinal helminths. Ascarids were found in 58.5 % of the samples. Trichuris vulpis was observed in 49.5 % of cases, and Uncinaria spp. and Ancylostoma spp. in 34.8 %, Spirocerca lupi in 25.3 % and Capillaria spp. in 10.6 %. Cestode embryophores were found in 8.6 % of the samples.

Une étude parasitologique a été menée chez 198 chiens vivant en liberté quasi complète dans des villages du Nord-Est du Gabon. Des échantillons de fèces ont été prélevés et analysés. Une prévalence du parasitisme digestif de 91 % (181/198) a été mise en évidence par coproscopie microscopique (méthode d'enrichissement par flottation). La prévalence, par parasite, est de 59 % pour les ascarides, de 49 % pour les trichures, de 35 % pour les ankylostomes, de 25 % pour les spirocerques, de 11 % pour les capillaries et de 10 % pour les coccidies. Des embryophores de cestodes ont été retrouvés dans 17 échantillons (9 %).