Prevalence of faecal-borne parasites in colony stray cats in northern Italy

Abstract

Endoparasitic infections are common in stray cats. Many of these parasites are responsible for zoonoses, and stray cats can be a source of environmental contamination. The prevalence of parasites in 139 stray colony cats in the city of Milan, northern Italy, was investigated by faecal examination. The overall prevalence of endoparasites was 50.4%, with 11 different parasites found. Parasites with zoonotic potential were detected in 49.6% of cats. Concurrent infections with two or more zoonotic parasites were recorded in 14.3% of cats. Among the parasites found, the most common was Toxocara cati (33.1%; P <0.0001). The other species found by coproscopic examination were: Ancylostoma tubaeformae (7.2%), Isospora species (4.3%), Trichuris vulpis (2.9%), Dipylidium caninum (2.9%), Aelurostrongylus abstrusus (2.9%), Eucoleus aerophilus (syn Capillaria aerophila) (1.4%), Spirometra species (1.4%), Taenia pisiformis (0.7%) and Hymenolepis nana (0.7%). Coproantigen specific for Giardia duodenalis was detected in 2.9% of the samples. Pseudoparasites (eggs of mites) were found in 4.3% of the samples. No sample contained Toxoplasma gondii oocysts, despite the fact that 70 cats tested positive for T gondii-specific IgG antibodies, and none of the diarrhoetic samples tested positive for Cryptosporidium species oocysts. Variables linked to infection were body condition score (BCS), the presence of diarrhoea and infection with G duodenalis. Cats infected with G duodenalis were more likely to have a low BCS (odds ratio (OR) = 11.5, P = 0.02) and diarrhoea (OR = 30.7, P = 0.0007). The results of the present study confirm that endoparasitic infections, most of which have zoonotic potential, are distributed in stray colony cats of Milan.

A survey study on gastrointestinal parasites of stray cats in Azarshahr, (East Azerbaijan province, Iran)

“…In the present study, the overall prevalence of parasitic infection (at least with one of the intestinal helminth species in stray cats of 94 % was similar to that reported in previous studies, conducted in other Iranian cities such as Isfahan (98.5 %) (Jamshidi et al 2002), Shiraz (92.9 %) (Zibaei et al 2007 (Raji et al 2013). However, the identified prevalence rate in this study was more than that of the earlier researches, conducted in different contexts such as Italy (35 %) (Riggio et al 2013), northern Italy (50.4 %) (Spada et al 2013) Hungary (39.6 %) (Capari et al 2013), Germany (33.6 %) (Becker et al 2012), Mexico (53 %) (Canto et al 2013), Greece (55.8 %) (Lefkaditis et al 2014), Thailand (11.9 %) (Jittapalapong et al 2007), Brazil (67.12 %) (Ramos et al 2013). Moreover, the most common helminth parasites, detected in our study, were M. lineatus (78 %) and T. cati (78 %).…”

“…Moreover, the most common helminth parasites, detected in our study, were M. lineatus (78 %) and T. cati (78 %). The prevalence of T. cati infection was higher than the estimated prevalence previously found in Christmas Island (53.57 %) (Adams et al 2008), Northern Germany (27.1 %) (Becker et al 2012), Spain (55.2 %) (Calvete et al 1998), Mexico (3 %) (Canto et al 2013), Hungary (17.4 %) (Capari et al 2013), Thailand (3.5 %) (Jittapalapong et al 2007), Egypt (9 %) (Khalafalla 2011), India (4 %) (Krecek et al 2010), Brazil (25.2 %) (Labarthe et al 2004), Greece (18.14 %) (Lefkaditis et al 2014), Spain (35 %) (Millan and Casanova 2009), Romania (20.3 %) (Mircean et al 2010), Australia (3.2 %), (Palmer et al 2008), Nigeria (16.67 %) (Raji et al 2013), England (34.8 %) (Nichol et al 1981), Brazil (4.11 %) (Ramos (Riggio et al 2013), Argentina (61.2 %) (Sommerfelt et al 2006), Northern Italy (33.1 %) (Spada et al 2013), as well as in Iranian contexts including Shiraz (42.6 %) (Zibaei et al 2007), Northern Iran (44 %) (Sharif et al 2007), Mashhad (28.84 %) (Borji et al 2011), North of Iran (8 %) (Changizi et al 2007), Isfahan (13 %) (Jamshidi et al 2002), Tehran (42.31 %) (Mirzayans 1973), Kashan (13.3) (Arbabi and Hooshyar 2009), Ahvaz (8.3 %), Tehran (23 %) (Bahadori et al 2004), However, similar prevalence of T. cati infection has been recorded in Denmark (79 %) by Engbaek et al (1984). The most likely reasons for the increased prevalence of T. cati in our studies were the poor hygiene, lack of anthelmintics drug used in stray cats, the presence of high humidity, and moderate temperatures (Arbabi and Hooshyar 2009).…”

“…In as much as they, harbor a wide variety of parasites which can be detrimental to their and human health (Calvete et al 1998;Hille et al 2014;Krecek et al 2010;Ramos et al 2013;Scorza et al 2011;Silaghi et al 2014), and also represent potential reservoirs of helminthic parasites to domestic cats and human, especially in urban areas (Hille et al 2014;Polak et al 2014;Youssef and Uga 2014). Besides, due to their contact with both domestic cats and humans, stray cat may play an important role in the transmission of several pathogenic agents; such as Toxoplasma gondii (Can et al 2014;Lappin 2010;Vilares et al 2014) and Cryptosporidium (Bush et al 2011;Scorza et al 2011;Spada et al 2013;Spain et al 2001) that have the ability to cause life-threatening infections in individuals (Davoust et al 2014;Johnson et al 2013), or Leishmania infantum (Chatzis et al 2014;Hatam et al 2010;Pennisi et al 2013;Richter et al 2014) and Toxocara spp. which have been associated with two main clinical syndromes in humans (ocular larva migrans and visceral larva migrans) (Bowman et al 2010;Fisher 2003;Petithory 2007;Prokopowicz and Sosnowska 1990;Rubinsky-Elefant et al 2010).…”

Helminth burden in stray cats from Thessaloniki, Greece

“…Cats can be infected by the ingestion of infective eggs, by the ingestion of a mouse containing larvae, or by the transmammary infection of kittens (Bowman et al, 2002). A similar prevalence with that from Greece was observed in other European countries such as Hungary (17.4 %) (Capári et al, 2013), Romania (20.3 %) (Mircean et al, 2010), central Italy (22.2 %) (Riggio et al, 2013), Germany (27.1%) (Becker et al, 2012), northern Italy (33.1 %) (Spada et al, 2013). Lower prevalence was reported in Finland (5.4 %) (Näreaho et al, 2012).…”

Mesocestoidosis and multivisceral tetrathyridiosis in a European cat

“…In contrast, the tapeworm species Taenia taeniaeformis, Diphyllobotrium latum as well as Mesocestoides spp. are reported with lower frequency in domestic cats in Italy (Bourdeau and Beugnet 1993;Chauve 1993;Riggio et al 2013;Spada et al 2013); however, control of such infections remains particularly important as it ensures low levels of infestation in humans.…”