A survey of intestinal helminths in domestic dogs in a human–animal–environmental interface: the Oloisukut Conservancy, Narok County, Kenya

Abstract

Dogs living in a domestic–wildlife interface can serve as reservoirs and sentinels of parasites shared among humans, domestic animals and wildlife. In Kenya, the epidemiology of intestinal parasites of dogs and their role as reservoirs of zoonoses is poorly understood, especially in domestic–wildlife interfaces. This study aimed to determine the occurrence of intestinal helminths in domestic dogs in the Oloisukut Conservancy. One hundred dog faecal samples were collected per rectum and examined microscopically following zinc chloride flotation and formal-ether concentration techniques. Genotyping of helminths was achieved by nested polymerase chain reaction of NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1, cytochrome oxidase 1 and partial sequencing. Nine genera were detected by microscopy in 65 (65%) dog faecal samples from 54/76 (71.05%) households. The most frequent helminths were hookworm (39%), Spirometra spp. (17%), taeniids (13%), Toxocara spp. (10%), Trichuris spp. (10%), Spirocerca lupi (5%), Physaloptera spp. (2%), Dipylidium caninum (1%) and Strongyloides spp. (1%). Ancylostoma caninum was the only hookworm species detected in dogs, while Taenia serialis and Taenia madoquae were detected in four and one faecal samples, respectively. This study reports for the first time the molecular detection of the cestodes Spirometra theileri, D. caninum and Mesocestoides sp. in dogs in Kenya. The presence of zoonotic helminths in dogs indicates that the residents of this conservancy are exposed to public health risks. The helminths reported here confirm the interaction of domestic dogs with wildlife. An integrated control programme involving the medical, veterinary and wildlife conservation professionals is needed to avert transmission of infectious diseases to humans, domestic animals and wildlife.

Cystic echinococcosis in donkeys in eastern Africa

“…are known from Kenya (Schmid and Watschinger, 1972 ; MOH, 2016 ). Although the zoonotic potential of S. theileri is unknown, infections with adult worms of this species have been found in leopards and spotted hyenas in Tanzania and recently in domestic dogs in Maasai Mara (Eom et al ., 2019 ; Mulinge et al ., 2021 ). As the plerocercoid found in our donkey was calcified, the significance of this finding is unclear, and the lifecycle of S. theileri in the area is in need of investigation.…”

Genetic characterization of the zoonotic parasite Ancylostoma caninum in the central and eastern United States

“…The complete cox1 gene is 1577 bp long in the A. caninum reference mitochondrial genome (GenBank Accession: NC_012309). The primer set used by Hu et al (2002) flanks nucleotides 754 to 1146 of the cox1 , while the primer set used by Miranda et al (2008) flanks nucleotides 162 to 628 and the primer set used by Mulinge et al (2021) flanks nucleotides 368 to 830. In the present study, the primers used by (Hu et al , 2002) and (Moser et al , 2007) were used for PCR amplification.…”

Genetic characterization of the zoonotic parasiteAncylostoma caninumin the central and eastern USA

“…The complete cox1 gene is 1577 bp long in the A. caninum reference mitochondrial genome (GenBank Accession: NC_012309). The primer set used by Hu et al (Hu et al , 2002) flank nucleotides 754 to 1146 of the cox1 , while the primer set used by Miranda et al (Miranda et al , 2008) flanks nucleotides 162 to 628 and the primer set used by Mulinge et al (Mulinge et al , 2021) flanks nucleotides 368 to 830. In this study, the primers used by (Hu et al , 2002) and (Moser et al , 2007) were used for PCR amplification.…”