| Abstract |
Article Information:
A Survey on Gastro-Intestinal Parasites of Non-Descript Dogs in and Around Arusha Municipality, Tanzania
E.S. Swai, E.J. Kaaya, D.A. Mshanga and E.W. Mbise
Corresponding Author: Emmanuel Senyael
Key words: Arusha, dog, endo-parasites, prevalence, Tanzania, zoonoses, Vol. 2 , (3): Page No: 63-67 |
| Submitted |
Accepted |
Published |
| 2010 April, 01 |
2010 April, 22 |
2010 July, 05 |
Dogs are the most common pet animals worldwide and perform a range of cultural, social, and
economic functions in society. The objective of this study is to investigate, through cross-sectional survey, the
distribution, types and prevalence of gastro-intestinal parasites affecting dogs in and around Arusha
municipality, Tanzania. Faecal samples collected from 241 non-descript, apparent healthy dogs w ere processed
by sedimentation and floatations technique and then examined for protozoan oocyst and helminth eggs.
Coprological examination revealed that 59.3% of the dogs excreted helminth eggs in their faeces. Dogs
harbouring one-parasite eggs were more common (73.8%) than those harbouring two (12.4%) or three (0.4%).
The data on the distribution of the various worm species in the positive dogs indicate that Ancylostoma caninum
eggs were by far the most common (57.2%). The other detected worm egg species and their respective
frequencies were: Toxocara canis (13.7% ), Mesostesphanus spp. (1.66%) and Taenia spp. (0.4%). Protozoan eggs (E. canis) were detected in two samples. The prevalence of helminth eggs was higher in young dogs
(puppies) compared to adults (p<0.05). The prevalence of different species of helminths also varied in different
age groups, with Toxocara canis being higher in puppies than in adults (p = 0.005). Sex-wise prevalence of
helminths was not significant (p> 0.05). The high prevalence of gastro-intestinal helminth parasites of zoonotic
potential registered in the dog population from a highly urban area in Arusha indicates a potential risk to human
health. Increased awareness of their potential threat to human health coupled with additional research into the
zoonotic capacity of Toxocara spp. and Ancylostoma spp. is desirable. |
Cite this Reference:
E.S. Swai, E.J. Kaaya, D.A. Mshanga and E.W. Mbise, 2010. A Survey on Gastro-Intestinal Parasites of Non-Descript Dogs in and Around Arusha Municipality, Tanzania.
International Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 2(3): Page No: 63-67. |
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ISSN (Online): 2041-2908
ISSN (Print): 2041-2894 |
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