A wide diversity of zoonotic intestinal parasites infects urban and rural dogs in Neuquén, Patagonia, Argentina

Abstract

The presence of parasites was investigated by the examination of 1944 dog faecal samples collected from urban (n=646) and rural (n=1298) areas of the province of Neuquén, Patagonia, Argentina. Parasitic agents (PA) were found in 37.86% of samples. A total of 15 different PA were detected, including Toxocara canis (16.35%), Taenia spp./Echinococcus spp. (12.65%), Trichurisvulpis (6.06%), Giardia spp. (1.29%), Toxascaris leonina (0.56%), Ancylostomacaninum (0.41%), Dipylidium caninum (0.31%), Diphyllobothrium spp. (0.10%), among others. Several of these PA are recognized as zoonotic agents. Therefore, the results of this investigation revealed that local population is exposed to a broad spectrum of zoonotic parasites by means of environmental contamination with dog faeces. Prevalence of PA was slightly higher in rural (40.06%) than in urban (33.44%) locations. Distribution of groups of PA (cestodes, nematodes, and protozoa) showed statistical differences between both habitats. Prevalence of cestodes (18.18%) and protozoa (11.86%) was significantly higher in the rural environment than in urban areas and nematodes (29.10%) were more frequent in urban locations. Infection of dogs with Linguatula serrata and Cryptosporidium sp. was demonstrated for the first time in Neuquén. Rural dogs of the study area are under hydatic disease control program, which includes treatment with praziquantel every 6 weeks; thus, the finding of high level of cestode infection in these areas is of great relevance. The epidemiology of zoonotic parasitic infections in urban and rural dogs showed different patterns and, in consequence, different control measurements should be applied in each location.

Endoparasitic infections in dogs from rural areas in the Lobos District, Buenos Aires province, Argentina

“…In the present study, the high number of dogs found per farm added to the close contact between them and human beings, specially in this region where livestock raising is economically important, generate potential risks of acquiring zoonotic diseases for the rural populations. This finding corroborates results found by Pierangeli et al (2007) and Soriano et al (2010) in the province of Neuquén, Argentina.…”

“…The endoparasite T. vulpis was more prevalent than reported by other studies carried out in rural areas from Nigeria (14.2%) and the Czech Republic (1.7%) (DUBNÁ et al, 2007;UGBOMOIKO et al, 2008). In Argentina, Soriano et al (2010) reported a prevalence of 1.3% in rural areas of Neuquén. Both trichuroid are found in wild animals like foxes, wolves and weasels among others (WEESE; FULFORD, 2011;SANTOS et al, 2012).…”

“…Dogs are definite hosts for several zoonotic helminthes and protozoan like Echinococcus granulosus, Ancylostoma spp., Toxocara canis, Trichuris vulpis, coccids, among others, which are pathogenic in humans (SORIANO et al, 2010). Since the number of dogs bred in rural areas and in cities has recently been increasing worldwide, the human risk of parasitic infections has been expected to increase as well (DUBNÁ et al, 2007).…”

Cardiorespiratory and gastrointestinal parasites of dogs in north-west Italy

“…Dogs can host several helminth species, many of which are of zoonotic importance and may be a threat to human health causing serious diseases (Soriano et al, 2010;Mateus et al, 2014). In fact, dog parasites represent a potential risk to public health, especially in children or immuno-compromised people, since direct or indirect transmission of parasitic infections from dogs to humans can occur (Martínez-Moreno et al, 2007;Xhaxhiu et al, 2011).…”

Parasites in stool samples in the environment of Ilha da Marambaia, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: an approach in public health

“…(hookworms), Toxocara canis, Cryptosporidium sp. and Giardia sp., as well as the high impact of these infections in public health 4,9,12,13 . Despite the large number of reports on zoonotic parasites in public parks, beaches and recreational areas, there is a lack of studies about these agents in restricted geographical areas, such as islands.…”