Zoonotic Helminth Diseases in Dogs and Dingoes Utilising Shared Resources in an Australian Aboriginal Community

Abstract

The impacts of free-roaming canids (domestic and wild) on public health have long been a concern in Australian Indigenous communities. We investigated the prevalence of zoonotic helminth diseases in dogs and sympatric dingoes, and used radio telemetry to measure their spatial overlap, in an Aboriginal community in the Wet Tropics of Australia. Samples collected from dingoes and dogs showed high levels of infection with the zoonotic hookworm, Ancylostoma caninum. Dingoes were also positive for A. ceylanicum infection (11.4%), but dogs were infection free. Whipworm, Trichuris vulpis, infection was far more prevalent in necropsies of domestic dogs (78.6%) than dingoes (3.7%). Dogs were free from Dirofilaria immitis infection, while dingoes recorded 46.2% infection. Eleven dingoes and seven free-roaming domestic dogs were fitted with Global Positioning System collars and tracked over an extended period. Dingo home-ranges almost completely overlapped those of the domestic dogs. However, dingoes and dogs did not utilise the same area at the same time, and dogs may have avoided dingoes. This spatial overlap in resource use presents an opportunity for the indirect spill-over and spill-back of parasites between dogs and dingoes. Tracking and camera traps showed that the community rubbish tip and animal carcasses were areas of concentrated activity for dogs and dingoes.

Geographical distribution and risk factors for Echinococcus granulosus infection in peri-urban wild dog populations

“…It would be beneficial to examine climatic factors at larger geographical scale. Our results do suggest that E. granulosus appears to be suited to the sub-tropical climate of southern Queensland, in contrast to the tropical regions of the state (northern Queensland) where it has not been detected in wild dogs (Smout et al., 2013, 2018).…”

Perceptions of dog owners towards canine gastrointestinal parasitism and associated human health risk in Southeast Queensland

“…and Uncinaria spp., and the tape worm Echinococcus sp., the prevalence of which varies with ownership characteristics, geographical conditions and communities' perceptions of risk [ 6 ]. In Australia, the prevalence of T. canis in refuge dogs was found to be higher (2.4%) than that of owned pets attending veterinary clinics (0.4%) [ 7 ], it was estimated to be 3.1% in rural dogs in the eastern states of mainland Australia and Tasmania [ 8 ], 2.8% in rural shelters [ 6 ] and highly prevalent in domestic dogs in and around Aboriginal Communities in the Wet Tropics of north-eastern Queensland [ 9 ]. Similarly, in the case of Echinococcus sp.…”

Zoonotic nematodes of wild carnivores

“…Similarly, the epidemiological role of foxes needs to be clarified, particularly because of the report of up to 32.3% animals positive for D. immitis in irrigated habitats of Ebro Valley (Spain) (Gortázar et al, 1998). A high prevalence of D. immitis dirofilariosis (i.e., 46%) was recorded in Australian dingoes, but not in sympatric living domestic dogs, suggesting the indirect exchange of parasites between dogs and dingoes (Smout et al, 2018). The evidence of adult D. repens at necropsy (i.e., in the subcutaneous tissue) is more difficult than D. immitis (i.e., in the pulmonary arteries and in heart right ventricle) resulting in fragmentary available data about the distribution of this nematode in wild carnivores.…”

“…Ancylostoma braziliense occurs in dogs, cats and various wild animals, and in humans as CLM (Bowman, 2011). Ancylostoma ceylanicum intestinal infections have been mainly documented in humans and dogs in Asia (Traub, 2013) and in wild dingoes in Northern Australia (Smout et al, 2013, 2018; Mackenstedt et al, 2015). Domestic cats and wild felids are usually infected by Ancylostoma tubaeforme worldwide, but its zoonotic potential has so far not been documented (Bowman, 2011).…”

“…transmission. High prevalence of A. caninum (up to 100%) was found in dogs and sympatric dingoes in an Aboriginal community in the Wet Tropics of Australia, with A. ceylanicum being diagnosed in around 11% of the same canid population (Smout et al, 2013, 2018; Mackenstedt et al, 2015). Furthermore, coyotes are highly susceptible for A. caninum and U. stenocephala infections (Seguel and Gottdenker, 2017) and, based on the invasion and increase of populations of this animal species in urban areas in North America (Liccioli et al, 2015), they may represent a risk factor for the occurrence of hookworms and other helminths, such as Echinococcus multilocularis .…”