PCR-Based Molecular Characterization of Toxocara spp. Using Feces of Stray Cats: A Study from Southwest Iran

Abstract

Feces of stray cat are potential sources of gastrointestinal parasites and play a crucial role in spreading and transmitting parasite eggs, larvae, and oocysts through contamination of soil, food, or water. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of Toxocara spp. infection in stray cats in Ahvaz city, southwest Iran. Eggs of Toxocara spp. in feces of stray cats were detected by the sucrose flotation method, and identification was conducted by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing. Of the 140 fecal samples that were randomly collected from public environments during the months of January to May 2012, 45% were found to harbour Toxocara spp. eggs. The highest prevalence of Toxocara spp. eggs was found in the central area of Ahvaz city (28.6%). T. canis eggs were found in 4 (6.34%) of the 63 positive samples. Stray cats are found in parks, playgrounds, and other public places and may be a potential contamination risk. Identification of Toxocara spp. using molecular methods is sufficiently sensitive to detect low levels of parasites and identify the different Toxocara spp. in feces. The relatively high prevalence of Toxocara spp. infection may continue to increase due to lack of effective environmental hygiene control in Iran. Consequently, there is a need to plan adequate programs to detect, identify, and control this infection as well as stray cats in the region.

Limit of detection of Toxocara canis larvae in experimentally contaminated bovine milk

“…PCR has served to enable molecular characterization of faecal samples of dogs and cats as well as soil containing eggs of Toxocara spp. (FOGT-WYRWAS et al, 2007;FAHRION et al, 2011;DURANT et al, 2012;KHADEMVATAN et al, 2013KHADEMVATAN et al, , 2014. PCR technique was applied in an experimental study to evaluate bronchoalveolar lavage (PINELLI et al, 2013) and also to confirm the diagnosis of human toxocariasis from CSF samples to isolate the cause of neurological syndrome (CALDERA et al, 2012).…”

Fungi predatory activity on embryonated Toxocara canis eggs inoculated in domestic chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) and destruction of second stage larvae

“…In humans, Toxocara canis, a gastrointestinal nematode in dogs, causes the visceral larva migrans syndrome (Taylor et al 2010;Khademvatan et al 2013), and the ingestion of embryonated eggs in the environment and direct contact with infected pets are important factors in the epidemiology of this parasite. Preschool-aged children and people living in rural areas and with occupations related to land are at increased risk for toxocariasis (Gabor et al 2008;Smith et al 2009).…”

Molecular Characterization of Cryptosporidium Species Isolated from Cattle in Southwest of Iran

“…nested-PCR technique was utilized to amplify a fragment of SSU 18s rRNA using 2 sets of primers as follow: (F1): 5' -TTCTAGAGCTAATACATGCG -3' and (R1): 5' -CCCATTTCCTTCGAAACAGGA -3' for first stage of PCR and (F2): 5' -GGAAGGGTTGTATTTATTAGATAAAG-3' and (R2): 5' -CTCATAAGG TGCTGAAGGAGTA -3' for secondary PCR (7,9,19,20). The PCR products were loaded on 1.5% agarose gel and visualized under UV light using Gel Doc device (Uvidoc, Gel Documentation System, and Cambridge, UK) (12,13,21,22).…”