Prevalence of Intestinal Parasites in Dog Faecal Samples from Public Environments in Qinghai Province, China

Abstract

Dogs are popular companions in our daily lives for company, hunting, protection or shepherding, but they also serve as reservoirs for zoonotic parasites. We analysed faecal samples from urban and rural environments in Qinghai Province on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau of China to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites. A total of 682 faecal samples were collected from four urban and two rural environments from October 2019 to December 2020. The samples were analysed for common intestinal parasites using a species-specific PCR approach. The total number of samples with parasites was 40 (5.87%): 23 (3.37%) were positive for helminths, and 17 (2.49%) were positive for protozoa. The following parasites were identified, and their respective prevalence rates were calculated: Cryptosporidium canis (1.32%), Giardia duodenalis (1.17%, assemblages D (n = 6) and C (n = 2)), Taenia hydatigena (1.03%), Taenia multiceps (0.59%), Toxocara canis (0.59%), Echinococcus shiquicus (0.29%), Dipylidium caninum (0.29%), Taenia pisiformis (0.15%), Mesocestoides lineatus (0.15%), Trichuris vulpis (0.15%), and Ancylostoma spp. (0.15%). The overall prevalence was significantly higher in dog faecal samples from rural environments than in those from urban environments (16.19% vs. 3.99%). E. shiquicus, T. pisiformis, M. lineatus, T. vulpis, and Ancylostoma spp. were only found in dog faecal samples from rural environments. The results of the present study indicate that intestinal parasite-positive dogs are important sources of environmental contamination, suggesting a significant zoonotic infection risk in humans and other animals. This has implications for the ongoing control of intestinal parasite infections in dogs in Qinghai Province, China.

Environmental Toxocara spp. presence in crowded squares and public parks from San Juan Province, Argentina: A call for a “One Health” approach

“…Unfortunately, since fecal environmental samples were used, the association with characteristics of the dogs themselves (i.e., age, freeroaming or kept, underlying conditions, among others) (45) and with the conduct of care of the owners (i.e., antiparasitic treatment) (46) could not be considered. Moreover, the setting where this study was conducted was urban and the prevalence and variety of parasites found might be greater in rural areas where there is also exposure to other animals (4,47,48).…”

Mutations of Dipylidium caninum Cestode diagnosis of Dogs in Baghdad city, Iraq

“…OK523385.1 (19); and 99.36% of identities with D.caninum sequences in China with accession no. OP620562.1 (22).…”

Assessment of potential zoonotic transmission of Giardia duodenalis from dogs and cats

“…G. duodenalis infections in dogs have been documented in at least 38 countries, with the molecular prevalence ranging from 1.17% (8/682) in Qinghai, China [ 21 ], to 75.75% (25/33) in Italy [ 22 ]. The pooled molecular prevalence is at 15.60% (7510/48140), with infection rates ranging from 2.86% (2/70) in Singapore to 51.22% (63/123) in the Czech Republic.…”

“…In China, G. duodenalis infections in dogs have been recorded in at least 13 provinces, municipalities, or autonomous regions (Table S3), with a pooled molecular prevalence of 11.49% (1156/10062). The prevalence of G. duodenalis infections in dogs varied across the different regions, ranging from 1.17% (8/682) in Qinghai [ 21 ] to 63.50% (54/85) in Jilin [ 23 ]. The highest prevalence was reported in Shanghai (26.29%, 260/989), Yunnan (13.74%, 36/262), and Beijing (12.75%, 62/485).…”