Risk factors associated with the presence of zoonotic gastrointestinal parasites in dogs of Cabrero district, Biobío Region, Chile.
Daniela Quilodrán-González1, Paula Gädicke1, Tania Junod2, Carmen Villaguala-Pacheco1, Carlos Landaeta-Aqueveque1*
ABSTRACT
Canine gastrointestinal parasites pose a zoonotic infection risk, particularly in rural areas, causing infections in the gastrointestinal track, skin, viscera, eyes or nervous system, and even causing death in some cases. The aim of this study was to analyze the frequency of gastrointestinal parasites, focusing on zoonotic parasites, in dogs of the county of Cabrero (Biobío Region, Chile), and the responsible pet owner behaviors associated with zoonotic transmission to humans. A total of 93 houses were surveyed and feces of dogs were examined for protozoa and helminths. Fisher tests and Mann-Whitney tests were used to determine differences between rural and urban areas of the variables under study. The relationship between preventive management practices (vaccination, deworming, feeding and medical checkup) and absence of parasites in feces was analyzed using logistic regressions. There was a mean of 1.28 dogs per house. Responsible pet ownership behaviors were less frequent in rural than in urban areas. Deworming was conducted in 58.1% of houses, while the other preventive management practices were less frequent. Dogs of 51.6% of the houses were parasitized with taxa: Isospora sp., Trichuris vulpis, Toxocara canis, Ancylostomatidae Gen. sp and Taeniidae Gen. sp. Deworming was the only practice associated with the presence of parasites. Only Isospora sp. is not a zoonotic parasite. There is a risk of zoonotic helminth infection from dogs to inhabitants of Cabrero.
Key words: Zoonosis, helminths, protozoan infections, pets, Toxocara, hookworms.
1 Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Vicente Méndez 595, Casilla 537, Chillán, Chile.
2 Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Santo Tomás, Buena Vecindad 91, Puerto Montt, Chile.
* Autor para correspondencia E-mail: [email protected].