A M Saldanha-Elias1, M A Silva2, V O Silva1, S L A Amorim1, A R Coutinho1, H A Santos1, R C Giunchetti3, R W A Vitor1, Stefan M Geiger4. 1. Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos 6627, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, 31270-901, Brazil. 2. Empresa de Informática e Informação do Município de Belo Horizonte, PRODABEL, Av. Presidente Carlos Luz 1275, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, 31230-000, Brazil. 3. Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos 6627, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, 31270-901, Brazil. 4. Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos 6627, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, 31270-901, Brazil. stefan.geiger76@gmail.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: In tropical environments, abandoned animals can be an important source for human zoonotic infections, such as human visceral leishmaniasis and other vector-borne diseases. Here, we report the frequency of protozoan and helminth intestinal parasites in stray dogs, which might have an implication for human health in urban Brazilian settings. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed necropsies on 93 animals, euthanized due to canine visceral leishmaniasis control program, and examined their intestines looking for the presence of helminths; we determined the parasite load, and the elimination of eggs and cysts of protozoan parasites in fecal samples. Further, we performed serology tests for the detection of specific antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii. RESULTS: Overall, a high prevalence of intestinal parasites with potential for human zoonoses resulted and only 8.6% of examined intestines remained negative. The most prevalent helminths were Ancylostoma caninum and Dipylidium caninum. For nematodes, high worm burdens were detected for A. caninum and Trichuris vulpis. Additionally, we analyzed worm burdens and quantitative stool examinations, but found no significant association between positive serology for Leishmania infection and intestinal parasite burden. Interestingly, serology for T. gondii infection revealed a prevalence of 33.3% and a positive result was significantly associated with a higher A. caninum adult worm recovery (p = 0.0087). CONCLUSION: Our results showed stray dogs living in urban areas are heavily parasitized, which presents a potential risk for humans. Beyond the control of canine visceral leishmaniasis, we propose an improvement of the control program to reduce the risk for other parasitic diseases in dogs and humans.
BACKGROUND: In tropical environments, abandoned animals can be an important source for humanzoonotic infections, such as humanvisceral leishmaniasis and other vector-borne diseases. Here, we report the frequency of protozoan and helminth intestinal parasites in stray dogs, which might have an implication for human health in urban Brazilian settings. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed necropsies on 93 animals, euthanized due to caninevisceral leishmaniasis control program, and examined their intestines looking for the presence of helminths; we determined the parasite load, and the elimination of eggs and cysts of protozoan parasites in fecal samples. Further, we performed serology tests for the detection of specific antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii. RESULTS: Overall, a high prevalence of intestinal parasites with potential for human zoonoses resulted and only 8.6% of examined intestines remained negative. The most prevalent helminths were Ancylostoma caninum and Dipylidium caninum. For nematodes, high worm burdens were detected for A. caninum and Trichuris vulpis. Additionally, we analyzed worm burdens and quantitative stool examinations, but found no significant association between positive serology for Leishmania infection and intestinal parasite burden. Interestingly, serology for T. gondii infection revealed a prevalence of 33.3% and a positive result was significantly associated with a higher A. caninum adult worm recovery (p = 0.0087). CONCLUSION: Our results showed stray dogs living in urban areas are heavily parasitized, which presents a potential risk for humans. Beyond the control of caninevisceral leishmaniasis, we propose an improvement of the control program to reduce the risk for other parasitic diseases in dogs and humans.
Authors: Enrique Trasviña-Muñoz; Gilberto López-Valencia; Francisco Javier Monge-Navarro; José Carlomán Herrera-Ramírez; Paulina Haro; Sergio Daniel Gómez-Gómez; Julio Alfonso Mercado-Rodríguez; Cesar Augusto Flores-Dueñas; Sergio Arturo Cueto-Gonzalez; Mariel Burquez-Escobedo Journal: Pathogens Date: 2020-06-28
Authors: Valéria da Costa Oliveira; Artur Augusto Velho Mendes Junior; Luiz Claudio Ferreira; Tatiana Machado Quinates Calvet; Shanna Araujo Dos Santos; Fabiano Borges Figueiredo; Monique Paiva Campos; Francisco das Chagas de Carvalho Rodrigues; Raquel de Vasconcellos Carvalhaes de Oliveira; Elba Regina Sampaio de Lemos; Tatiana Rozental; Raphael Gomes da Silva; Maria Regina Reis Amendoeira; Rayane Teles-de-Freitas; Rafaela Vieira Bruno; Fernanda Nazaré Morgado; Luciana de Freitas Campos Miranda; Rodrigo Caldas Menezes Journal: PLoS One Date: 2021-03-11 Impact factor: 3.240